


Fire and Gold

by Beatonen



Series: War and Peace [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Bumblebee! - Freeform, F/F, Kali the super Mom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-10-26 17:34:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 103,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10791405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beatonen/pseuds/Beatonen
Summary: After traveling all the way to Menagerie, Yang finds Blake.That's it. I just want some bumblebee.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> yaaaaay so this is something that literally popped out of nowhere, and kept me from Cloudy with a chance of sun...
> 
> but, uhhh... I really wanted some bees. I just want the team reunited.
> 
> Also, the title is from a song. Again. Fire and Gold by Bea Miller.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjWHpTkH7pA here'S the link if you're curious about it!

She pulled the bike to a stop, the engine rumbling beneath her, setting a foot down to take in the view. She had to say, Menagerie was a gorgeous place, with its tall palm trees, the island surrounded by beautiful beaches, and the center of the town buzzing with activity. Merchants and townsfolks were chatting, filling the air with voices and laughter, sometimes children running through the mass with shrills as they laughed.

She killed the engine, jumping off the bike and bouncing on her feet a little, thankful for the stretch, as she pulled off her sunglasses. She pulled the bike beside her, nodding with a smile at the people looking at her. But when she arrived at the top of the hill, the rest of the town lying before her at the bottom of the valley, she stopped.

She managed so far, but even if she wanted to find Blake, she had to know which house was hers. And so, she tried asking the townsfolks.

Some stared at her, suspicious, and when they noticed she wasn’t a faunus, they turned on their heels and walked away. Some ignored her. But she continued to ask, with a smile, understanding that they probably didn’t see many humans on the island often. And at some point, one man, tall and lean, with rounded ears at the top of his head, pointed at the end of the hill, down the road.

“It’s… that way?” she asked, following the direction.

“No” he grumbled. “It’s that one. The Belladonna household.”

Blonde eyebrows rose, almost reaching the line of her hair. The man pointed at the huge house, sitting at the end of the road down the hill, surrounded by palm trees and small houses.

“The big one?” she asked again, just to be sure.

He nodded, blinking down at her with his soft green eyes, his face as hard as a block of ice.

“The big one down the main road, can’t miss it. Got it. Thank you, sir” she said with a large smile, extending her hand in front of her.

His brows furrowed slightly, and he glanced down at her hand, Yang realising she had offered her prosthetic hand too late, but a small smile pulled his lips as he took it, shaking it a little.

And she pulled her bike beside her again, the crowd too thick to drive around, to the big, white house at the end of the road. She stopped in front of it for a moment, hoping that her friend would be there. She set her bike on the side, near the front door, and climbed up the stairs, bouncing on the balls of her feet in front of the door, taking a deep breath. She was nervous. She had rehearsed what she would say to Blake all the way. She could do this. Sucking in a deep breath, she knocked with her left hand, five times. Because it wasn’t too much, and not too less. Anyway, that’s what she had always told herself.

She expected unfamiliar faces, or Blake, to open the door. So when the door swung open and a tall, blond man opened the door, she blinked, taken aback.

“Sun?!”

His eyes widened, his smile reaching his ears as he gasped loudly.

“Yang! I’m so glad you’re okay!” he nearly shouted, jumping forward as he wrapped her in a hug.

The blonde hugged him back, still a little shocked but glad to see him, too.

“What are you doing here?” she asked as they pulled apart, smiling.

“Yeah, I kinda followed Blake after she uh… left” he answered, chuckling nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Before Yang could say something, a gasp behind Sun caught her attention. Stepping on the side, she could see Blake, her wide amber eyes staring at her, as she clutched at the sleeves of her long, white coat. Blake had always tried to keep her emotions in check; well, always tried that it wasn’t apparent on her face. But right now, Yang could see relief, joy, guilt and fear passing quickly, and she took a step forward, tentatively.

“Blake…”

Her voice was soft and she moved slowly, as to not startle the dark-haired faunus. But when she saw her take a step back, she felt her hands balling into tight fists.

“Don’t run, please…”

She hated how her voice sounded. How it was trembling. She promised herself not to cry, but seeing Blake run away from her again… she couldn’t take it. And the faunus seemed to understand, because she paused, locking her eyes with Yang’s.

“I’ll be back, I promise” she heard her whisper.

And by the time Yang blinked, the blonde was staring at one of Blake’s shadow, dissolving slowly in front of her. She kept staring at it, and reached her hand to it, but it only vanished under her touch, and she gritted her teeth, feeling her throat tightening, her eyes prickling. She had come this far, and now that she was right in front of her…

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and after blinking furiously the tears away, she glanced up to Sun, as he looked at her with a small, sympathetic smile.

“Give her some time. She’ll be back when she’s hungry” he joked, squeezing Yang’s shoulder lightly.

And, without skipping a beat:

“I really dig the outfit, Yang! You look…”

He took a step back, eyeing her from head to toe, before beaming.

“You look like a total badass!”

She snorted, her smile returning as she rested her right hand on her hip, throwing her blonde hair off her shoulder.

“That’s because I am” she replied cockily. “Wanna see something real cool?”

Raising his eyebrows, he nodded, and as he bounced slightly on his feet, looking expectantly at her, she felt her heart sink in her chest a little, seeing Ruby in his reaction. But she shook her head promptly, and pulled off her right glove, revealing her robot hand. She brought her hand in front of her, closing her hand into a fist a few times slowly, hearing the clacks of the pieces of metal working as the blond faunus gasped again.

“You have a _robot_ arm?” he nearly shouted, stepping closer to look at it. “Where did you get it?”

“General Ironwood gave it to me. I guess it’s his way to say ‘sorry about the accusations’” she shrugged, smiling at his widening eyes as he glanced up at her.

“Athlesian?” he asked.

“Yep.”

“Damn, that's beautiful” he muttered, his fingers brushing over the yellow panels.

The noises of footsteps behind them made Yang glance over her shoulder, and she saw a petite woman, with short, black hair and two tall, equally dark cat ears sitting atop her head, her light yellow eyes an echo of Blake’s.

The woman stopped in surprise, glancing at Sun, and when her gaze came back to Yang, she narrowed her eyes slightly, eyeing her from head to toe.

“You must be Yang” she smiled, stepping towards them. “I remember the photos Blake showed us. She talked a lot about you.”

And she glanced to Sun.

“And he did, too. I heard there was a food fight, one time?”

Yang grimaced, elbowing Sun in the ribs.

“Thanks, dude. Way to give a good first impression” the blonde muttered to him.

“But it was awesome!” he only winced, rubbing his side as he pouted slightly, his tail swirling around his own leg.

The woman laughed quietly, one of her ears flicking, catching the light of the sun on her piercing as she extended her hand to Yang, a warm, large smile pulling her lips.

“I’m Kali” she said softly. “Blake’s mother” she added.

“It’s really nice to meet you” Yang smiled, taking her hand with her prosthetic, grimacing slightly when golden eyes glanced down, surprised. “I wanted to see Blake, but…”

“She ran off?” Kali sighed, glancing up in lilac eyes.

The blonde’s shoulders slouched slightly as her eyes fell on their hands, her smile vanishing.

“Yeah” she breathed.

Kali gently patted her prosthetic hand, a small smile on her lips.

“Well, until she decides to come back, and wants to talk to you, you can stay here as long as you like” the older woman offered as she pulled away. “It must have been a long journey. You should rest until dinner.”

“I don’t want to impose” Yang objected, shaking her head. “I have some cash; I can stay at a motel for a couple of days-”

“I’m sorry to be so blunt, but you won’t find anything” Kali grimaced, sliding her left hand into the sleeve of her right arm. “Nobody here will let you rent a room. You’re a human. You’re not supposed to be here.”

“Oh…” the blonde seemed to deflate. The day kept getting better and better, she thought bitterly.

“We have plenty of rooms” Kali assured. “You’re welcome to stay for as long as you like.”

“Thank you, Kali. But… can I do something for you? I don’t want to be a burden, so can I do something in exchange for a meal and a roof?”

She raised her dark eyebrows, staring at Yang for a moment, before frowning at Sun.

“Why couldn’t you be like her when you arrived?” she gently accused, more amused than anything. Then, she returned her attention to the young woman. “I don’t know what you could do, really. But I’ll think about it. In the meantime, Sun can show you to one of the empty guest room, and you can settle down.”

 

**** 

 

She ran, but she didn’t get far. She climbed in her favorite tree, just outside the backyard, the tall tree separating in five thick branches, the center flat, as if it was a giant hand. One branch was thicker than the others, and slightly apart. She liked to think it was the ‘thumb’, and she usually sat with her back on it, as she read a good book. But now, she only sat there, her knees pulled up against her chest, her forehead resting on her kneecaps.

She couldn’t bring herself to hear the conversation even if she could, because just hearing her voice… It was too much. For months she thought about what she would say to her. For months, she failed to find the words, only ending in tears. Sun had tried to make her understand that she probably wasn’t going to be mad at her, but it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter if Yang was mad at her or not, because she couldn’t bring herself to stand in front of her.

She closed her eyes as she gritted her teeth, trying to fight off her tears. Now was not the time. She thought about ways to sneak in the house to get some food without crossing path with Yang, or anyone, until she shook her head, grunting.

“What is wrong with me” she muttered.

And she repeated it again as she slid her fingers in her hair, pulling them back at the base of her neck and held them there, her hands closing tightly. The sudden crack of a branch made her jump, and there was a huff, and as she was about to stand, her mother landed right in front of her.

“I’m getting too old for this” she muttered as she sat down in front of her daughter, leaning her back against the ‘index’.

Blake settle back, her eyes cast to the side, avoiding her mother’s gaze even if she knew her ears were flat on her head. Kali waited a few seconds, before clearing her throat quietly.

“She seems like a nice person” the older woman started.

“She is” Blake murmured, resting her cheek against her knee.

“She seemed genuine, too. She wants to talk to you.”

“I know.”

Kali could see her ears flatten even more, flush against her scalp, and her eyebrows furrowed, a wrinkle forming between them.

“Then why did you run?”

“I can’t look at her” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

“Why?”

“It’s my fault she got injured. It’s my fault she… she lost her harm. And I left her anyway, even if I knew-”

She interrupted her sentence when she felt a hand on hers, glancing up to see Kali looking at her, and gently sat beside her daughter, wrapping her arm around Blake’s shoulder when the young woman leaned against her, sniffing quietly.

“Even if I knew she’d be devastated.”

“You never told me this” her mother said quietly, rubbing her palm up and down Blake’s arm as Blake hid her face in her mother’s neck.

“Not really proud of that” she murmured.

They stayed silent for a moment, Blake sniffing quietly, Kali resting her cheek on Blake’s head.

“Why did you leave, then?”

Blake swallowed, taking a few breaths before answering slowly.

“She’s… She’s really important to me. She’s my partner. She’s…” she paused, feeling Kali shift so she could look at her, but Blake bowed her head, keeping her face hidden from view. “I left to protect her. I had to” she spoke barely above her breath, so softly the breeze could take her words away, but Kali had the same sharp hearing as her daughter.

“Protect her from what?”

But when the silence grew, feeling Blake tense slightly, Kali sighed, hugging her daughter against her.

“Alright, I won’t push. But… how important is she? You, too, were hurt when you left. And I don’t mean physically” Kali added. “She must be pretty important for you to do that.”

“She is” she mumbled, her ears flicking.

“What about Sun? You didn’t try to run away when you saw him, and he was the one that saw you leave Beacon.”

Her ears flicked again.

“On a ship in the middle of the ocean, there’s nowhere to run” Blake spat out. “And of course he’s important, but… it’s different. Yang is my partner.”

Kali stared at the dark-head for a moment, before settling back.

“Well, you should talk to her. You’re important to her, if she made the journey. Where did you say she comes from, again?”

“From Patch” Blake said quietly. “It’s a little island, west of Vale.”

“That’s quite far” Kali noted.

Blake nodded silently, and a silence passed them again. When the younger woman stopped sniffing, Kali gently kissed the black head, before pulling away, one hand staying on Blake’s, and she locked her eyes with her daughter.

“Talk to her, when you’re ready” Kali repeated. “But don’t wait too long. And listen to me” she said, gripping gently her daughter’s chin. “There is nothing wrong with you.”

She felt Blake clench her jaw, a slight twitch on the corner of her lips as she glanced down, but Kali tapped her thumb on her chin twice, gaining Blake’s attention back.

“It’s okay to be scared, Blake. But don’t let that fear control you.”

Blake held her mother’s stare for a moment before glancing down, nodding slightly. Kali tapped her chin again, and thumbed her cheek gently, smiling softly. She leaned down, kissing Blake’s forehead, feeling her daughter clutch her sleeve as she did, closing her eyes.

“I love you, my beautiful girl” Kali murmured, nuzzling her hair.

“I love you too, Mom” she murmured back.

The older woman smiled. She knew her daughter; the young faunus always had trouble saying those words, even to her own parents, and Kali could count on one hand the number of times she heard her say that to her. She sat back on her haunches, smiling. She pulled away softly, her hand dropping to Blake’s, squeezing it gently one last time.

“I’ll take my leave, now” her mother said quietly.

Blake nodded, slowly pulling her legs up against her again, and the older woman turned on her heels.

“Oh, and one last thing” she added, glancing above her shoulder, “I will love you, whatever decisions you take, and I’ll love you even when you realise how important she is to you. Alright?”

A sly grin pulled her lips when she saw Blake close her mouth with a clack, a blush creeping its way up her neck, and Kali jumped down the tree.

 

**** 

 

After Sun helped her get her things in the guest room, she did what Kali suggested and took a nap. The journey had been long, even though she traveled with Bumblebee, and some well-deserved rest, in a real bed, was for the best. She felt like she’d just laid her head on the pillow, and she woke up, startled, from a few knocks on the door, the darkened room telling her it was the evening, now. Kali herself went to wake her up for dinner, and Yang apologised, saying that she could have helped in the kitchen.

Dinner was taken with Sun, Kali and herself, for Ghira being out in town, meeting with merchants, and Blake being… elsewhere. Yang felt abandoned again. In Blake’s own house. She started to doubt about her journey, doubt about Blake. Maybe she didn’t want to see her again, after all.

Sun must have felt her brooding, because he started to tell stories, from Beacon. He talked animatedly, waving his hands around, glancing back and forth between the two other women to make sure they were listening, and every time he noticed Yang looking away, absent, he would call out to her.

“What did Weiss used in the food fight, again? Some kind of fish?” he asked, poking her shoulder with his tail.

And every time he called out, asking about something he already knew, she only snorted, smiling a little.

“A swordfish, Sun. What else could she use?”

And the evening went like that, Kali listening with attention at Sun’s stories, and even more attentive when Yang told how she and Blake had become partners, then a few anecdotes about the team. Before long, Kali excused herself, retiring for the night, as it was already late in the evening, and soon after, Yang did the same.

She closed the door behind her, sighing as she let her head fall back against it. She was hesitating between going to bed even though she wasn’t tired, her nap far too effective, or taking a walk, even though she didn’t know the place, when she heard a knock.

Frowning as she straightened her head, she glanced over her shoulder to the door, surprised. The noise wasn’t coming from there. The knock came again, insistent, and she glanced the other way, towards the window, and she blinked.

Blake was crouched there, her hand pressed against the window to keep her balance, and when their eyes locked, she smiled a small smile, her ears jerking back, but not flat on her head. Blake was nervous.

Crossing the distance in four wide steps, Yang unlocked and opened the window, Blake sitting back on her hunches. For a moment, they stayed silent.

“I’m sorry I barged in here” Yang finally said. “Couldn’t call you beforehand telling you I was coming” she tried to joke.

Blake kept her eyes cast down, her ears flicking once, still jerked back.

“I’m sorry I ran. I… had to think.”

The blonde hummed, staring at her for a moment, and she walked back to the bed, sitting on the edge of it, and she saw Blake sit on the windowsill. She was just glad the faunus was willing to stay, at least for a moment.

“I like your outfit” Yang said quietly after a moment. “You look like a pirate Queen.”

Golden eyes, glowing in the darkness, glanced up at her with a huff.

“A pirate Queen? Really, Yang?”

“Yeah! I mean, it looks badass, and well… you look…”

She stopped for a moment, staring from head to toe, before pulling her hands up, both her thumbs up.

“You look good!”

Her smile was sincere, and Blake snorted, rolling her eyes.

“Smooth, Yang. I like your outfit too, by the way.”

Her smile grew an inch larger, but it didn’t go unnoticed as Blake laughed quietly. A silence fell on them again, this time heavier than before. The faunus shifted, sucking in a deep breath.

_Come on, Belladonna. Just talk to her._

“I’m sorry I left, Yang” she started, her voice low as she stared at her feet. “I’m so sorry-”

“No” Yang interrupted, standing suddenly.

Blake straightened her head, her ears drooping, and she stared at the blonde.

“The last thing I remember from that night, is not something I see, not even the pain I felt. The last thing I remember is your voice, apologising over and over again.”

Yang could see her shoulders slouch slightly, her grip tightening on the edge of the window, and her ears drooping a little more, but she stayed silent, her eyes cast down on the floor.

“I don’t want to hear you apologise. Pretty sure you apologised for what happened, and what you were about to do” the blonde continued, seeing her hung her head, and she stepped closer. “I want to know why you left. How you felt. You must have been scared shitless, and yet” she waved her hand in front of her. “You left anyway.”

The faunus swallowed thickly. She came to Yang’s window, thinking she was prepared to whatever Yang asked her, but… It was just so difficult. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to find the right words, when she heard the soft, quiet words of Yang.

“Was it because of me? Was it because without my arm, I was a burden to you?”

“No!” Blake nearly shouted, jumping to her feet inside the room. “Absolutely not! I never, ever thought that!”

The simple thought of Yang, back at her home, thinking she was left behind because she wasn’t useful to her… She felt dizzy. She couldn’t believe the blonde thought that about her.

“Did you really think… That was why I left?” she breathed, feeling her legs starting to shake.

Without waiting for her answer, she turned on her heels. Fresh air would be nice. Some alone time, too. But her legs were so weak that it carried her slower than she thought, and as she climbed out the window, Yang grabbed her arm firmly.

“Don’t run from me again” she murmured, her lilac eyes so dark in the night, even with her night-vision.

“Yang I can’t – I can’t-” a sob racked her chest, the firm hold of Yang’s hand softening slightly. “What is wrong with me? What kind of friend am I, if you thought that about me-”

“Then tell me why you left.”

“It was to protect you” she breathed, her voice rising in pitch. “To protect everyone. He… He’ll come for me again” she didn’t say his name, knowing well enough that Yang would understand. “I don’t want someone dear to me die because of me, because that’s what he want to do to me. I don’t want you to die because of me. I nearly lost you once.”

She shook her head, glancing down.

“I can’t let that happen again. The farther I get from you, the farther he’ll be from you.”

“But you’re only going to get yourself killed, Blake. You can’t take him and his men alone.”

Her voice was soft, her thumb caressing her arm.

“And for the record: if we had to go back to that night, and lose my arm trying to protect you, I would do it again. In a heartbeat.” She said, serious, as she stared straight in her eyes. “Although, I’ll try to be more prepared, next time” she added with a small smile.

Blake stared at her for a second, her eyes filling with tears, and she bowed her head, hiding her face from view, bumping her head against the blonde’s shoulder, sniffing quietly.

“Why are you like that” she mumbled. “I never asked for you to get injured for me. I don’t want you to die for me. I never asked that.”

She felt something cold grip her chin in a gentle hold, realising it was Yang’s prosthetic fingers, and the blonde raised her head so she could look at her in the eyes.

“If I get injured, or even killed when I’m protecting you, then it’s worth it, and I would do it again, Blake.”

“I never asked that” she objected. “I don’t expect that from you.”

“Would you do the same for me?” Yang asked.

Blake stared at her for a moment, and she glanced down as she nodded.

“Yeah” she breathed. “I would do the same for you.”

“Then it was worth it” the blonde said softly, her metal thumb caressing Blake’s cheek.

The faunus gently took her hand, feeling it cold and hard in her hand, and held it in front of her, looking down at it. Brushing her fingers on the palm, feeling the panels and the bolts, hearing every sound it made at the slightest move of the fingers.

“Of course I was scared, that night” Blake murmured, her eyes staying on Yang’s hand. “I made sure you and Ruby were in the airship. When I got back to get Weiss, I saw her father’s airship flying away. At least, she was out of there. And then, I left.”

She sighed, toying with the fingers, flexing them slowly, feeling the panels shift and move.

“I stayed on Beacon grounds for… a few days, I think. I don’t really know. I patched up my wound, knowing that my aura would heal it up in no time. I… I didn’t know where to go. At some point, I figured I would go back home.”

Yang gently wrapped her fingers around Blake’s wrist, tugging her softy inside the room, and Blake let her, following the blonde to the bed as they both sat on it. Yang shrugged her coat off, leaving her only in her yellow tank top, and quickly kicked her boots off, sitting back on the pillows as she leaned her back on the headboard, patting the space beside her, but the faunus stayed where she sat, and Yang didn’t insist. She only took Blake’s hand in her flesh one, thumbing her knuckles gently.

“I was scared for that, too” Blake continued. “I hadn’t go back home in years. I feared my dad would be mad at me. I feared my mom would be. But… The first thing she did when she saw me was hug me” she mumbled, still somewhat amazed by that.

“Sun told me he followed you after you left” Yang recalled, her tone even.

Blake huffed, rolling her eyes.

“Yes, well. I was distracted, and I only noticed someone was following me when I was on the boat. He looked so proud of him” she remembered, huffing almost angrily. “I told him many times that he should go back, but…” she trailed off, shrugging.

A silence fell on them for a moment. The moonlight fell through the open window like a ray of white, and Yang could only see one side of Blake’s face, painted in silver, as a small smile pulled the faunus’s lips.

“Dad doesn’t like him” she chuckled quietly.

And her smile faded as her brows furrowed, creating shadows on her forehead as a wrinkle formed.

“We…” she started, her voice low and soft. “There was a spy, a few weeks back. And, I went after her when I noticed her. And, of course, Sun came to help, but… he…”

She bit her lips, squeezing Yang’s hand a little tighter.

“He got shot” she murmured. “I thought he was going to die, and the spy escaped. I was… I was terrified. I couldn’t lose someone. Not after nearly losing you” she added, glancing up to lock her eyes with Yang’s.

“He’s alright, now” Yang reminded her.

She entwined their fingers together, and Blake let her, her eyes cast on their hands as she nodded silently. She let a few heartbeats passed, before taking a deep breath.

“Now, Adam probably knows I’m in Menagerie” she breathed, smiling a small, sad smile. “I just want some peace. At least, for a time.”

“Hey” the blonde called.

Amber eyes glanced up, glowing strangely in the dark, her pupils blown wide as she locked her eyes with Yang’s, and the blonde opened her arms silently without another word, waiting. Blake bit her lip, hesitating for a hot second, before shifting closer, leaning her head on Yang’s shoulder as she felt the blonde’s arms around her, hugging her gently.

“You can always get a few minutes of peace here” the blonde murmured in her human ear, her breath tickling her cat ear, making it flick twice. “Alright?”

The faunus shifted, hiding her face in the blonde’s neck as she nodded quickly, leaning in the blonde’s side. They stayed like that, Blake didn’t even know how long. Yang was as warm as she remembered, and she still smelled the same. A strange mix of citrus and gunpowder, and something else, something that made it Yang’s scent. She listened to the blonde’s heartbeat, strong and steady against her ear, feeling safe for the first time in forever, she felt, in the blonde’s arms.

She was starting to doze off, feeling her eyelids heavy, until a loud rumble made both of them jump. As the noise started again, Blake felt an ache in her stomach, and realised she was starving, Yang understanding too, laughing quietly.

“Just go eat something” she smiled as she pulled away. “We’ll talk again tomorrow, okay?”

The faunus nodded, a small smile on her lips as she stood, stretching. She walked back to the window, and as she was about to climb out, she paused, glancing over her shoulder.

“Thank you, Yang” she murmured, loud enough for the blonde to hear.

“For what?” she asked, furrowing her blonde eyebrows.

“For not giving up on me, even though I’m a shit friend” Blake blurted out before disappearing outside without waiting for an answer.

Yang huffed, shaking her head as she slipped under the cover with a sigh.

“You’re not a shit friend, Blake” she murmured, closing her eyes.

 

**** 

 

Kali walked down the hallway, yawning, as the morning light crept its way inside the house. It was still early, the birds chirping happily outside, and she walked quietly, knowing she was discreet enough that she couldn’t wake up anyone. But near the end of the hallway, she stopped when she passed Blake’s bedroom door. She hadn’t seen her daughter after she went to find her in the tree, and she was a little worried the young woman hadn’t come back for the night.

She stood there, in front of the door. Making up her mind, she knocked twice on the door, waiting for an answer, knowing she could hear it perfectly even through the door. But when no answer came, she frowned. She knocked again, this time twisting the doorknob and creeping the door open, just enough so she could peek inside. And she only saw Blake’s bed, empty, the covers still neatly folded.

She hadn’t come back.

Kali closed the door with a sigh. She made a mental note to search for her today as she started walking, but she stopped again, this time stopping in front of one of the guests room, Yang’s room. Without hesitation, she knocked twice, and was already twisting the doorknob, creeping the door open again, as silently as she could, peeking inside.

She could hear light snores before she could see Yang, sleeping on her side, her face towards the door, her flesh arm folded under the pillow and the prosthetic extended in front of her, the hand falling from the edge. And as she glanced at the sleeping blonde, she saw Blake’s head appearing slowly behind the blonde’s shoulder, her face scrunched up, still half-asleep, as she was woken up by the knocks, and she froze when she locked her eyes with her mother’s.

Wide amber eyes glanced down at Yang, then came back to the amused older faunus.

“I missed her snores” Blake mumbled under her breath, knowing her mother would hear.

“Sure” the older woman replied as quietly.

Kali grinned, winking, and closed the door silently while Blake blushed furiously, laying back beside the sleeping blonde.


	2. Chapter 2

She woke up slowly, the morning breeze lifting a few strands of hair, tickling her face gently. She ran a hand on her face as she took a sharp breath, cracking one eye open, seeing the window open wide, the ray of the sunshine entering the room not yet reaching the bed. She stayed still for a moment, on her back, staring at the ceiling, listening to the chirping birds outside. She rolled to the other side of the bed as she stretched with a grunt, and on the spot right next to her, it felt warm, and she stopped.

Frowning, she patted the bed, blinking a few times to make her vision clearer. There. On the pillow. A long, dark strand of hair. And as she leaned down, sniffing, it smelled like lavender and vanilla.

Blake.

Her lips pulled in a small smile as she settled on that spot.

Blake Belladonna had sneaked back in the room after she fell asleep, and slept with her.

That was definitely progress.

She was just sad that she didn’t stay until the blonde woke up. But maybe next time. If next time will be.

She sucked in a breath, throwing the covers away as she sat on the edge of the bed, feeling restless suddenly. Today was going to be a good day, she felt.

 

**** 

 

She had almost stumbled in the living room, hoping to see Blake there, but her smile faltered when the faunus weren’t in sight. Her shoulders slouched slightly, but she straightened her head when she heard footsteps coming her way from the kitchen, but again, her shoulders slouched when Kali entered the room.

“Good morning, Yang” she greeted, stopping, looking surprised. “I didn’t think you were an early riser.”

“Um… Good morning” the blonde mumbled, glancing at her with a small smile. “Have you seen Blake, by any chance?”

The older woman raised her eyebrows, opening her mouth, then closed it. She glanced to the front door as she frowned, her tongue clicking.

“No, I haven’t. My guess is she went outside” she looked back at Yang, smiling a little. “Maybe you’ll find her in town.”

Yang sighed, but thanked her anyway. She walked back to her room to get her coat and her boots, and was about to walk out the house, putting on her black, fingerless leather gloves, when Kali grabbed her by her flesh arm, dragging her gently but firmly in the kitchen, grounding her for going out without a proper meal.

Yang smiled, remembering all the times she did just that with Ruby, and she complied, eating her breakfast quickly with a tall glass of milk. But when she was about to go out of the house again, Kali called her.

“If you find Blake” she said with a sigh, crossing her arms on her chest as she leaned her shoulder on the doorframe, “bring her back. As far as I know, she didn’t eat for dinner yesterday, and this morning too. I’m getting worried.”

The blonde smiled, nodding. Again, she could see herself with a young Ruby. Old times, she thought, even if it wasn’t so long ago.

“I’ll bring her back” she promised, opening the door, “even if I have to throw her over my shoulder.”

Kali snorted, straightening herself.

“I’d like to see that happen” she smiled. “I’ll send Sun in town to help you, when he wakes up. _If_ he wakes up” she added, huffing.

Yang laughed quietly, waving to Blake’s mother as she closed the door behind her. She didn’t even bother walking down the few stairs of the front porch; she just jumped down, smiling at the small cloud of dust her landing created. She took a moment, resting her hands on her hips as she threw her head back, looking at the blue sky, with no cloud in sight. She wondered if it rained often, here. Closing her eyes with a sigh, she stayed like that for a while, feeling the warmth of the sun on her face, the breeze caressing her skin.

She started walking towards the top of the hill, glancing around, trying to memorise the landscape. It wasn’t early in the morning anymore, judging by the sun, Yang supposed it was about ten, but still, the center of town was already buzzing with activity. She walked lazily from stand to stand, always alert to some dark haired faunus with bright yellow eyes crossing her sight, but she still tried to enjoy herself.

She knew that if Blake didn’t want to be found, then it was sure she wouldn’t find her.

She liked the town. It was almost midday now, the sun mercilessly sending waves of heat, and Yang wiped the sweat from her brows again. Just walking around was enough to make her sweat, and at some point, she thought of taking off her coat, but something bumped her leg, and she glanced down. A really, really beaten up, all dirty from the dust it had seen, soccer ball rolled away slowly. Setting her foot on it to stop the ball, she glanced around, spotting a group of children to her left, staring at her from a fair amount of feet away.

When the blonde spotted them, she smiled, and shifted to face them, but when she did, they all ran away. All but one. A little boy, about six or seven, Yang noticed, with dark red hair, with soft beige, sand-colored scales on his cheekbones, along his jaw, and on his knuckles. Wherever the bones were close to the skin, the blonde figures. He also had wide, vibrant green eyes, which stared directly at her, almost defiantly.

“Is this yours?” Yang asked softly, smiling, designing the ball.

He glanced at it quickly, his face hardening slightly, and he nodded sharply. The blonde smiled again, and kicked the ball in his direction gently. He stopped it with his foot, just like she did earlier, but didn’t move. As Yang was about to walk away, the boy kicked the ball back to her, and she frowned, stopping it again. She looked at the boy, and he kept staring at her, didn’t move for even an inch, and she kicked the ball again. But instead of stopping it, the boy kicked it back, and the blonde caught it with a small smirk.

“You wanna play?” she laughed quietly, kicking the ball back.

And the boy stopped the ball this time, but he smiled a little, nodding quickly.

 

**** 

 

She didn’t really know what to do next. She went in town to think, or, _not_ think, too many distractions and the constant flow of moving people enough to keep her away from her thoughts. She also knew Yang would grow tired of waiting, and would go and search for her. But she didn’t expect for Yang to play with the kids.

Blake was sitting on the roof of a nearby shop, out of sight and from that damn sun, but she could still see, down below, on a spot of grass a little on the side of the marketplace, about half a dozen kids running around with a soccer ball, and one tall blonde woman, laughing heartily.

Who was she kidding? She knew Yang liked children. She knew the blonde was good with children. She just didn’t expect the kids would trust a human. At first it was only one kid, but then the others came back, at first shy, but now…

Blake huffed, smiling as she leaned on the balustrade of her hiding spot, looking at Yang running to catch the ball rolling at an amazing speed, almost falling on the way. She laughed quietly when the blonde caught in her arms one of the kids running towards her, stealing the ball, and she threw the little boy on her shoulder as he laughed and screeched, the blonde laughing loudly with one hand on her hip, claiming nobody could steal the ball from her. At what the kids all ran to her, jumping on her as one as she fell, all of them laughing. They all stayed on the grass for a moment, laughing, and Yang sat, leaning back on her hands as she closed her eyes, bathing in the sun.

Blake couldn’t help but smile as she watched her, her golden mane cascading down her back and pooling behind her. The faunus had always thought that her partner was a really beautiful woman, but right now… Right now, as she looked down at the blonde, she felt warm inside, as if just seeing her partner like that was making her happy and... And something else. She didn’t quite make what it was. She just felt… kind of giddy.

_It’s just because she’s here._

The faunus blinked, frowning down at her hands. But before she could think longer about it, the noise of a small, high-pitched voice caught her attention.

“Your hair is sooo long!” one of the little girls, with round, soft red ears on top of her ginger head, was toying with a strand of blonde hair, pouting. “I want mine as long as yours!”

Yang laughed, patting the ginger hair gently.

“Maybe you’ll get them as long as mine in a few years!”

“Years?” her pout deepened. “But I want them long now!”

The blonde laughed again, this time her hand dropping on the small girl’s shoulder.

“It takes a lot of patience for your hair to grow long like mine. You must be patient!”

As she said that, one of the boys, the kid Yang started playing with, sat on her lap, making the blonde hum in surprise, and he grabbed her prosthetic hand, examining it closely.

“You’re a human, right?”

Blake’s ears perked up, and she straightened her back slightly, her face sharpening, but the blonde only smiled softly.

“Yes, I am” she answered.

The boy frowned, still toying with her hand.

“Dad always said that humans are mean and scary” he mumbled. “But you are kind.”

“I’m glad you think I’m kind.”

“Does every human have arms like that?” he asked as he glanced up to her, pointing at the black and yellow arm.

Blake felt her hands grip the ramp tightly, her teeth gritting, but Yang only huffed, smiling softly again.

“No” she shook her head gently. “I got hurt. I was protecting my friend, and my arm got hurt really badly. So, I got this really cool arm. Don’t you think it’s cool?”

Blake heard the boy laugh when Yang tickled him with her prosthetic hand, hearing the soft and low, throaty laugh the blonde made, and the faunus thought that it sounded like cooing.

Blake wanted to hear that laugh more often.

When the boy calmed down, he shifted on the blonde’s lap, trying to be more comfortable.

“Where’s your friend now?” he asked with his small voice.

And without an ounce of hesitation, Yang straightened her head, her eyes staring directly at Blake, up in her hiding spot. Lilac locked with amber, and the blonde smiled a soft smile as she raised her right hand, pointing at the hiding faunus.

“Right there” Yang answered, her cocky smile growing wider when she noticed Blake had stepped back, surprised.

The boy followed the direction and spotted Blake, but he frowned.

“Why isn’t she with us?”

“She’s kinda shy” Yang answered. “But it’s okay, though. I know she’s there.”

He hummed, his vibrant green eyes still staring at Blake for a few seconds, before he glanced away. But the lilac pair stayed longer. Blake was afraid to see disappointment, or even that the blonde was angry that Blake had hid for so long, but Yang only smiled, crinkling her nose and pulling her tongue at her.

_What do I do._

The tight grip on the ramp had her knuckles white. Yang hadn’t looked away. She wasn’t mad, or annoyed, but she was just questioning silently. After sucking in a deep breath, Blake jumped swiftly above the ramp, landing on the lower rooftop. Then, jumped down on the ground, raising a small cloud of dust around her. As she made her way slowly to the sitting blonde and the children, Yang smiled softly at her, smiled warmly, and she patted the spot beside her a few times.

“Hey” Yang greeted when the faunus sat beside her, with that soft smile she seemed to have stamped on her face.

“Hi” Blake breathed back, toying with her fingers nervously.

“I’m Baxter” the boy smiled, pointing at himself with his thumb.

Blake smiled. She already knew that, since she was listening when he introduced himself to Yang, but she played along.

“I’m Blake. Nice to meet you.”

He was smiling as if he was the reason Blake had come out of her hiding spot, the light reflecting on his scales. He opened his mouth to say something, but he noticed one of the kids kick the ball as it rolled near them, and he quickly got up to run and catch it, leaving Blake and Yang somewhat alone.

“How long have you noticed I was there?” Blake asked, staring at the kids playing.

She heard a scoff, and the low, deep laugh, seeming to start right in her chest. The cooing one she wanted to hear more.

“What kind of question is that?” she said softly. “Since you started watching me. I can feel your stare, Blake. Call it the ‘partner’ intuition.”

Blake raised one eyebrow and hummed, doubtful, as she glanced at her. But a small smile pulled her lips anyways.

“There you go” she heard the blonde murmur. “You know, you really look like your mother when you smile.”

“I know” Blake huffed, her smile widening. “Dad always tells me.”

“Speaking of your dad, when does he come back? I can’t say I’m not curious about him.”

Amber eyes flashed at the blonde again, this time suspicious.

“Why are you curious about my dad?”

“Oh, you know” she laughed, her left hand toying with a few blade of grass before pulling, ripping them from the ground. “You look so much like your mom, I just can’t wait to see what you got from your dad. Maybe your never-ending-smile face comes from your dad.”

The faunus glared at her, frowning, but the blonde’s smile only widened.

“Yeah, that one!” she exclaimed, laughing.

Blake narrowed her eyes, but she couldn’t help but smile. How could she do otherwise, when the blonde was laughing, the sound that Blake longed to hear for months. So she just glanced away, looking back at the kids, a small smile stamped on her lips. She was just content to sit there, beside her partner, looking at the blonde as she leaned on her hands again, closing her eyes, letting the sun warm her skin. As she looked at her, Blake felt the urge to touch her, to take her hand, to talk to her, even if she didn’t know what to say. And before she knew it, her fingers brushed against Yang’s hand.

Yang opened her eyes wide, looking down at her hand. When she noticed that Blake’s fingers was what touched her, she looked up, but Blake glanced away, crossing her arms as she blushed slightly.

“Sorry, I just had to… to make sure you were here.” The faunus muttered, stubbornly staring the other way.

And she heard it again. The cooing laugh. Blake wondered if it was just the presence of the kids that had unlocked that laugh or something, but she liked it. Much more than she liked to admit. She felt the blonde nudge her side, until Yang took Blake’s hand, pulling it down on the grass between them.

“Why? You think it’s some kind of dream?” the blonde asked quietly, feeling her thumb run on her knuckles.

“It does feel like a dream” Blake admitted, blushing slightly. “Kind of.”

“Heh. I feel you, sister.”

Blake huffed, her smile widening slightly. They stayed like that for a moment, enjoying the breeze, but before long, her black head felt so hot she thought she could fry an egg on her hair, and she could feel a headache coming. She was about to tell Yang when she felt the blonde squeezing her hand slightly.

“Did you eat something today?” she asked quietly, opening her eyes to look at her.

“Um… no” Blake frowned, looking down to think.

“Okay, then let’s go home” the blonde said cheerfully as she jumped to her feet, still holding Blake’s hand in hers.

“Okay” she replied quietly, smiling.

Yang helped Blake back on her feet, and when the faunus was about to walk back on the road – it wasn’t a long walk to her home, only five or six minutes – she felt the blonde tug slightly on her hand as she walked beside her. As if Yang wanted to make sure Blake wouldn’t go away.

Just to be sure, Blake tried to gently pull her hand away, but the blonde gripped her fingers. Surprised, the faunus stared at Yang, the blonde gripping her wrist gently.

“Sorry” she gave an apological smile. “Your mom asked me to bring you back, and I promised. I can’t take the risk that you’ll run off again.”

Blake rolled her eyes, her smile disappearing. Now, she really wanted to run off. And Yang must have seen it, because, as quick as lightning, she bent down, wrapping her left arm under her knees and lifted the faunus, Blake finding herself thrown over the blonde’s shoulder.

“Oh, come on!” Blake protested, struggling, trying to get down.

“Sorry, Blake” she noticed the blonde glancing back at her, even though she couldn’t see her. “I promised your mother.”

“Let me down” Blake ordered.

“Nah, not happening.”

And Yang started walking, her arm wrapped around her hips and her hand flat on Blake’s lower back, securing her and holding her in place. Even after kicking, wiggling and pleading, Blake hadn’t been able to break free, and so she admitted defeat, planting her elbow harder than was necessary in the blonde’s back, earning a grunt, to lean her chin in her hand, sighing. She could see the people looking back at them when they crossed them.

“People keep staring” she muttered loud enough so the blonde could hear.

“Let them stare” Yang smiled, patting her back. “They’re just jealous.”

“Why would they be jealous?”

“They’re not the ones carrying a pretty lady” the blonde teased.

That earned another elbow in her back.

After a while, Blake recognised the end of the road, and as she glanced around, she even could see Yang’s bike.

“Okay, let me down. We’re close enough.”

“Nu-huh” the blonde said back as she started climbing the stairs. “I’m not letting you down until we’re in the kitchen. You could ditch me as soon as your feet touch the ground.”

“I’m not Ruby” Blake grunted, now annoyed. “I’m not superfast.”

“No, but you could leave me with one of your shadows, which is, by the way, even more frustrating than you just vanishing. But that’s just my opinion.”

And Blake let out a deep sigh, planting her elbow in Yang’s back painfully as she hid her face in her hand.

She heard Yang open the door, and made the few steps needed to enter the living room. When she heard a gasp, clearly her mother, and a loud laugh, clearly Sun, she straightened her head slightly. When Yang turned to walk toward the kitchen, Blake could see her mother, eyebrows raised in utmost surprise as she held her cup of tea halfway to her mouth, frozen in stupor.

“Hi, Mom. Apparently, you asked her to bring me back” Blake said bitterly, trying to look pissed even though she was upside down and her hair was hiding partially her face.

“I… I did” Kali stammered, blinking, then she quickly set her cup down, standing to follow them in the kitchen.

Yang stopped in the middle of the kitchen, waiting. Blake huffed.

“Yang. We’re in the kitchen. Let me down.”

“Right away!”

And she did. Bending forward, Yang carefully set Blake back on her feet, making sure she stood before pulling away, smiling widely as Blake glared daggers at her, her arms crossed tightly over her chest and her ears folded back, flush against her scalp. Yang was enjoying this a little too much.

“Aw, come on, Blake” Yang started. “Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy the ride. You could stare at my butt up close all the way!”

The faunus raised her eyes to the sky, letting out a bone-deep sigh as the blonde laughed heartily, making Kali smile slightly.

“I missed your exasperated face” the blonde teased, trying to pinch her cheek, but Blake swatted her hand away.

“You are going to grow tired of that face if you keep it up” she muttered, sitting on a stool of the kitchen island.

Kali pulled a small bowl of fruit from the fridge and set it on the island, Blake already picking up a strawberry. After Yang sat beside Blake, Kali working to prepared a light snack for Blake, waving Yang’s help aside, Yang started to dig in the fruits too, until she picked up a piece and stared at it, long enough for Blake to noticed it.

“What is it, Yang?” she asked, raising a single eyebrow.

Lilac eyes glanced up at her for a second before returning to the piece of fruit in her hand.

“It’s a star” she whispered, her voice filled with surprise and amazement.

Blake frowned, looking down at the fruit Yang was holding.

“It’s a carambola.”

“No, it’s a star.”

“It’s a fruit, Yang.”

“But I can’t eat that” the blonde shook her head, speaking softly.

“Why not?”

“Because it’s a star, Blake!” the blonde pointed, showing it to her. “It’s like a four-leaf clover! It’s probably lucky!”

Blake chuckled, understanding what the blonde meant.

“Yang, the carambola is shaped like that. It’s not rare, every piece are like that.”

“What?” Yang sounded astonished. “I never heard of a star-shaped fruit before! Ruby would love it!”

“They grow almost only here, as far as I know” Blake answered, biting down in one of the star-shaped fruit.

The blonde threw her hands in the hair and let them fall on the counter.

“Is everything in Menagerie awesome and beautiful?” Yang said, winking at Blake with a small grin.

Blake snorted, swallowing her fruit, taking another casually.

“I don’t think so, you come from Patch” she countered, a playful smile pulling her lips.

Yang chocked on her fruit at the same time her mother started a couching fit, trying not to drown in her cup of tea she had just fetched from the living room.

_Smooth, Blake. Smooth._

After a moment, Kali’s coughing calmed down and Yang cleared her throat, her cheeks a little more colored than normal.

“I think it’s the first time you actually play along” she said quietly, focused on the difficult task of choosing the next fruit she was going to eat.

Blake shrugged one shoulder, her smile still on her lips.

“Yes, well, I missed your teasing.”

 

**** 

 

It looked like dinner was still minus Ghira, but at least, Blake would be there, that night. Yang and Sun were in charge of the meat, outside with the grill, as Blake and her mother were inside, finishing the meal. Blake was busy cutting vegetables in dices, hearing without listening Sun and Yang’s voices outside, and she couldn’t help smiling when she heard the blonde laughing.

“I see you two talked.”

Blake straightened her head, blinking in confusion as she looked at her mother.

“Huh?”

“I’m glad you talked to her” Kali smiled, squeezing Blake’s arm briefly.

“Were you listening?” Blake accused, her ears already folding back, but her mother gently slapped her arm.

“Of course not! You know I respect your privacy.”

“Then how do you know we talked?” Blake muttered, still not entirely sure.

Kali rolled her eyes and Blake wondered if she really looked like that. No wonder Weiss hated it every time she did.

“First of all” she started, holding her index finger up, “I’m not sure you would sneak in her bed if you didn’t talk to her first-”

“I told you, I missed her snores” Blake interrupted, blushing slightly.

“And you could still hear them through the wall, honey” Kali countered, a small, teasing smile on her lips. “Second, you smile every time she laughs. The last time I saw you smile that much was…”

She narrowed her eyes, trying to remember.

“…Years ago” she finally said, letting her hand fall to her side.

Blake’s face scrunched up as she focused on her task.

“I don’t do that” she mumbled. “I don’t smile every time.”

“Yes, you do” Kali insisted, angling her head to try and look at her.

“No, I don’t” Blake said back, huffing in annoyance.

Kali blinked a few times, still staring at her daughter for a moment.

“There’s nothing wrong with that, Blake.”

As she was about to bark something back to her mother, she heard Yang laugh again, and she relaxed, Kali noticing. She raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms, staring pointedly at her daughter, and Blake rolled her eyes.

“Okay, so maybe I do” Blake mumbled, then glanced at her mother. “I’m sorry I was rude.”

Kali sighed, setting a hand on her daughter’s arm and squeezing gently.

“I just said that I’m glad you talked to her.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright, Blake.”

They stayed silent for a moment, Blake returning to her task, cutting slowly.

_Why did I jump on her like that?_

“I like her” Kali said suddenly, pulling Blake from her thoughts.

“You do?”

“Yes” she assured. “I didn’t really saw her long, but the way she talked about your team, the way she talked about her sister, and Weiss, and you” she added, glancing at her quickly. “She’s someone who cares. Kind. And she wants to help, she keeps bothering me to give her a task or a chore” she laughed quietly.

Blake hummed, feeling strangely satisfied that the blonde had the motherly seal of approval. She frowned down at the carrot she just cut in half, stopping for a second. And outside, she heard Yang laughing.

“Smiling” Kali noticed softly, smiling too.

Blake glanced up at her mother, snorting quietly, but her lips were still pulled in a soft smile. It stayed there until Kali cleared her throat discreetly.

“I’m really happy you found someone, Blake” her mother started. “I was wondering why seeing her again was scaring you so much, even with everything you said, but… now I understand. I’m really glad you found someone who makes you happy-”

“What are you talking about?” Blake asked without looking up, focused on her task.

“I’m talking about you and Yang?” her mother answered almost hesitantly, her sentence sounding like a question.

“I know that” her daughter retorted, annoyed. “I mean, what are you implying? Yang is just my partner. She’s my friend.”

Kali blinked a few times, before shuffling beside Blake, leaning her hip against the island to try and look at her daughter.

“Wait, you’re telling me you two aren’t together? I thought-”

“What? Mom, I’m not gay!” Blake said, her ears flat on her head.

“But, this morning when I saw you in her bed-”

“I told you, I missed her snores. I’m used to hear them close.”

“And you keep smiling when she laughs-”

“I’m not gay!” Blake exclaimed, slamming her hands on the island, staring at her mother.

But the force of her movement made the handle of the sharp knife slip from her hand, and as she was trying to catch it, her hands trembling, the blade bit in her flesh, the soft skin just under the thumb, and she hissed in pain. Pressing a hand on the cut, she quickly walked to the bathroom, leaving behind her droplets of crimson on the floor. She opened the faucet, letting her hand under the running water, leaning on her elbows as she sighed, running her right hand into her hair.

Soon after, Kali tip toed in the bathroom, standing silently beside Blake.

“I’m sorry I made you upset” she murmured, staring at Blake’s hand under the water, still coloring it red. “I just… I want you to know that I would love you even if you were gay.”

“Look, let’s just stop talking about it” Blake sighed, her hand trembling in her hair.

Even if she was a huntress-in-training, and she had seen her fair share of blood, she didn’t like seeing it one bit.

“Let me patch this up for you” Kali said, stepping forward as she took her bleeding hand, locking her eyes with her daughter’s.

Blake let her.

 

**** 

 

Blake seemed a little distant after that, but her smile quickly came back when the two blonds came back with the grilled meat. Kali saw how Yang almost immediately notice that Blake wasn’t feeling right, but the younger faunus told her to not worry, blaming it on a headache. And Kali could see that Yang didn’t buy it one bit, but the blonde didn’t insist.

For the rest of the night, Yang kept cheering Blake up, making her laugh and smile, roll her eyes and grunt with poor puns and jokes. And now, Kali had the feeling she was sitting in front of a different Yang than yesterday, and she soon understood that the blonde woman in front of her was the Yang Xiao Long Blake had talked so much about, not the Yang from the night before. And seeing her right now in front of her, she smiled, understanding why her daughter was so fond of her partner.

But still, Blake’s outburst earlier was troubling her. When she looked at Blake now, she couldn’t help but notice how close to Yang she was sitting, how she was always touching the blonde woman when she talked to her, how she smiled all the time. Blake never did half of that with Sun, and for a time, Kali had thought Blake had feelings for him.

Later, when everyone went into their rooms, Kali heard Sun, Blake and Yang enter their respective rooms. And about half an hour later, she heard the distinctive noise of a knock on a window.

She snorted, wondering why Blake would even bother climbing the roof to go see the blonde when Yang’s room was literally across from hers.

 

**** 

 

“You know how to use doors, right?” Yang asked as soon as she opened the window, stepping on the side to let Blake enter.

Blake slapped her arm, making Yang laugh, and she smiled.

“It’s already late, Blake. Not that I don’t like your company, but…”

“I told you about me yesterday” Blake answered, turning on her heels to look at her. “I want to hear about you.”

The blonde’s face hardened instantly, and she looked away.

“It’s really not as thrilling or as interesting as your story” the blonde mumbled, shifting her weight from one leg to the other.

“Tell me anyway?”

The blonde sighed, rubbing the back of her neck with her left hand. They both were in their sleepwear, Yang in an orange tank top and black shorts, and Blake wearing a black tank top and black pants, both thin, and so she wore her long, white coat to fight off the cold chill outside. And when Yang finally nodded, sighing again as she sat on the bed, Blake shrugged off her coat, throwing it on a nearby chair and sat beside Yang this time. But before Blake could say anything, Yang shifted.

“Could you… Could you sit on the other side?”

Blake blinked, but still crawled on the bed to sit on Yang’s left.

“Sure.”

“Thanks. It’s just… It’s just because I want to feel you. Your warmth and your skin. I can’t feel a thing with this one” she said, raising her right, prosthetic hand in front of her.

Blake hummed, taking her left hand, already feeling Yang thumb her knuckles.

And Yang told her everything. How she felt abandoned. How Ruby left soon after. How she felt abandoned again. About the struggle of re-learning to do everything with her left hand, instead. About her father bringing back the prosthetic, a gift from General Ironwood. How, at first, she didn’t want it. And when she decided to take it, how she had to re-learn everything again.

“There are still things I struggle with” Yang was telling her. “Like tying up my hair. As cool as my arm is, my hairs keep getting stuck between the panels, and I can’t do it one-handed.”

She fell silent after that, Blake still holding her hand. She noticed a flash outside, and as she looked up, she heard a low rumble, still far away. A thunderstorm. She hoped it wasn’t going to stop here. And she heard Yang sigh, stretching her legs in front of her.

“So, yeah. That’s pretty much it. Not thrilling, huh?”

Blake frowned, tugging at her hand lightly.

“Don’t say that. It matters.”

“Huh-huh.”

“It matters to me, Yang. I’m glad you told me” she insisted.

She shrugged one shoulder, staying silent.

“Do you…” Blake trailed off, hesitating.

Yang turned her head towards her, searching for the glowing amber eyes.

“Do you need a few minutes of peace?” the faunus asked as she opened her arms, a small smile pulling her lips.

The blonde stared at her, clearly surprised, and after a few seconds she huffed, smiling. She shifted closer, leaning in Blake’s side as close as she thought Blake was comfortable with, resting her head on the faunus’s shoulder, sighing when she felt the dark haired woman close her arms around her, hugging her close.

“Thank you” Blake heard the blonde murmured in her neck, feeling her breath tickling her skin.

“Anytime” the faunus answered, happy to do something for the blonde.

And they stayed like that for a long time, Blake’s cheek resting on top of the blonde head, her hand trailing up and down Yang’s back as the tall, powerful woman was curled up against her, crawled in her arms. Blake hoped she was providing the same feeling of security that the blonde had given to her the night before. She wished she could do more for her.

At some point, Blake had fallen asleep. It was one of Yang’s soft snores that woke her up, for a moment disoriented, before remembering where she was. As gently as she could, she pulled away, the blonde whining softly as she was still half-asleep, realising that Blake was going.

“I’ll let you sleep” Blake told her quietly, petting her hair gently as she pulled the covers over her shoulders, smiling when the blonde pouted.

And her ear flicked towards the window, glancing up, and seeing the gust of wind making the tall palm trees swing slightly.

“And I’ll close the window. It’s going to rain.”

Blake stood, closing the window, and by the time she walked to the door, Yang was fast asleep, snoring. With one last smile, she closed the door behind her.

 

**** 

 

Only to return about fifteen minutes later.

Blake hastily opened the door, closing it quickly as a bright flash lightened the room, and she kneeled beside the bed, her ears flat on her head, as she tried to wake up the blonde.

“Yang, come on, wake up!”

The blonde cracked one eye open slowly, mumbling as she frowned, and before Blake could say anything, a loud crack was heard, then a deafening rumbling, and Blake clutched at her cat ears as she curled on herself, shaking. In a second, Yang was sitting on her bed, throwing the covers away.

“Blake what is it? Are you hurt?”

Without saying anything, Blake climbed on the bed, curling in a ball right next to the blonde, shaking.

“I hate thunderstorms. I hate it” the faunus kept mumbling, tugging at the orange tank top.

The blonde settled back, pulling the covers over them, and kept Blake close to her.

“Dust, you’re shaking like a leaf” Yang whispered, concern filling her voice.

There was another flash, and she felt Blake tense against her. Yang pulled the covers over their heads, tucking the faunus’s head in the crook of her shoulder, holding her as close as she could at the same time as another loud rumble was heard, Blake jumping slightly, her breath trembling.

“I got you, Blake. I got you, don’t worry” Yang murmured, nuzzling between her cat ears, feeling Blake clutch her tank top on her back.

And it was like that for the next forty-five minutes, until the storm had calmed enough that the rumbles were only distant, and somewhat soothing. But they didn’t move. Eventually, Yang pulled back the covers slightly, glad for the fresh air, but she kept Blake as close as she had. And eventually, they both fell asleep, lulled by each other’s beathing.


	3. Chapter 3

She woke up suddenly, jolting awake when three sharp knocks on the door was heard.

“Rise and shine, Yang” Kali’s voice was heard from the other side of the door. “It’s almost lunch. And I have something for you to do, today.”

The blonde mumbled in her sleep, sighing, her breath tickling her ears.

“Five more minutes” Blake mumbled, her eyes closing.

She heard her mother gasp on the other side of the door, and heard the doorknob being twisted, the door creaking open as Kali peaked her head inside, raising a single eyebrows.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were already out” her mother asked in a hushed tone, glancing quickly to Yang, noticing that the blonde was still asleep.

Blake cracked her eyes open with a sigh, shifting slightly, making the blonde mumbled again. Yang snuggled closer, nuzzling the back of her neck as the arm around her pulled her closer to the blonde. Realising that Yang was spooning her, she blushed slightly, making her mother raise her eyebrows even more.

“I uh… There was a thunderstorm” she blurted out, not sounding sure of her answer.

Kali blinked, then crossed her arms, leaning her shoulder against the doorframe.

“What happened to your earbuds?”

“I lost them” she lied.

And the small, amused smile pulling her mother’s lips told her she knew her daughter was lying.

“Look, we did this at Beacon, okay” Blake quickly blurted out, now fully awake.

Kali only hummed, her smile inching larger slowly as she straightened her back.

“Wake her up, then. Pretty sure she’ll prefer you than me” her mother said, winking, closing the door quickly behind her to escape the glare her daughter sent her.

Blake sat in the bed, blushing furiously as she pushed back the covers, looking down at Yang, still sleeping soundly beside her, her blonde air sprawled around her head, the sunshine hitting it. And, Blake thought, it looked like a river of gold.

_Are you sure you’re not gay?_

She shook her head. That voice sounded almost like her mother, she thought, gritting her teeth. She elbowed the blonde in the stomach as she looked at the door, hearing Yang waking up suddenly.

“Wake up. Mom has a job for you” she muttered as she stood, her hair hiding her face, and walked out the room.

At least she stayed until Yang woke up.

 

**** 

 

“With the rain we got through the night, I realised this morning that there was a leak in the roof” Kali explained, pointing up.

Blake and Yang both looked up, the blonde letting out a yelp of surprise when a drop of cold water hit her face.

“I already sent Sun to try and find the leak, but he didn’t look like he knew what he was doing, so…” she trailed off, waving at Yang.

The blonde smiled proudly, burying her thumb in her chest.

“I can do it! I worked on the house more times that I can count, back home. Patching up the roof is child’s play!”

And she was already out the door, shrugging her coat off. Blake rolled her eyes with a small smile, huffing.

“I’ll make sure she doesn’t fall and break her neck” she said, shaking her head.

Kali only hummed, nodding. The leak was situated in her office, thankfully avoiding her desk. She was just glad Yang was already on it. And as she was sitting behind her desk, pulling a file from one of the drawers, she noticed that her daughter paused at the door, her ears flicking. As she was about to call her, Blake glanced over her shoulder.

“Mom?”

The older woman glanced at her file, humming absently, trying to look like she hadn’t noticed her daughter stopped at the door.

“I think… I think you might be right.”

Kali raised her eyebrows as she glanced up, seeing Blake brushing her fingers on the bandage on her left hand, at the base of her thumb. The young faunus turned towards her mother, locking her eyes with her.

“About what?”

“About me” she mumbled, her ears jerked back. “About… Yang.”

Her mother narrowed her eyes slightly, trying to remember what she had said.

“That you two were together?” Kali asked, unsure.

“No!” Blake answered almost instantly, her eyes widening. “No, not that” she continued, pulling on her fingers as her eyes were cast down on the floor. “The other thing you said.”

“The other…”

Kali understood instantly, but she said nothing. She wanted Blake to say it, and when her daughter glanced up, maybe she saw it in her mother’s eyes.

“I think” she started after taking a sharp breath, balling her hands into fists, “that I might be… I might be… gay.”

There was a silence. Blake’s ears folded against her head, and she gripped her other arm, her fingers digging in the fabric of the sleeve of her white coat as she bit her lip.

“I think you were right about that” she whispered, keeping her eyes down.

The noise of a chair being pushed back made her look up, and she saw Kali quickly walk around her desk to stand in front of it, her arms wide open with a large, warm smile on her lips, looking at her expectantly. After a second of hesitation, a small smile pulled Blake’s lips, and she walked to her mother, burying her face in her neck as she felt her arms close on her.

“I’m really proud of you, honey” Kali murmured in her human ear. “I’m glad you told me. I love you so much, my beautiful girl.”

Blake wrapped her arms around her mother, holding her close, feeling her eyes prickle as she closed them.

“I think I already knew, deep down, but… I didn’t want to believe it” she whispered, feeling her mother pet her hair gently.

“Yes, well, I can understand why you started to question your sexuality” Kali replied, playful. “She’s quite the looker.”

That earned quiet laugh from Blake, and Kali kissed her head before gently pulling away, cupping Blake’s cheek as she thumbed her cheekbone.

“Sometimes I forget that you’re a woman, now, and not just our little kitten” she remarked with a sigh, making Blake huff with a smile. “Don’t forget to tell Ghira when he gets home, before he catch you two kissing, or… in the same bed like I did” she added, her teasing tone making Blake blush a deep shade of red.

“We weren’t-” Blake started quickly, but Kali set a finger on her lips, interrupting her.

“I’m joking” she said softly, winking.

Blake grimaced as she looked out the window, making her mother laugh. Right in front of the window, a couple feet away, Yang stood in her yellow tank top she wore under her coat, her left hand on her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun as she talked with Sun, the monkey faunus pointing at the roof as he spoke. Kali followed her stare, smiling softly.

“I guess that explains why you didn’t date Sun, much to your father’s relief” she noted, chuckling when she heard Blake grunt.

“I’m leaving. We’re not talking about Sun.”

Her mother laughed, making Blake smile as she walked to the door, but at the doorway, she stopped again, looking over her shoulder.

“Thank you, Mom.”

Kali waved her words away, scoffing.

“You don’t need to thank me. I’m just doing my job as a mother. Now go sweep her off her feet!”

After a second of hesitation, Blake walked back to her mother in three wide steps, hugging her one more time, hearing Kali laugh softly, and she kissed her head.

“I love you” Blake murmured, before pulling away and walking out of the room.

 

**** 

 

Turns out, Blake, Sun and Yang worked on the roof. Sun had let go of his shirt, and Yang and Blake had left their coats on the side of the house. Yang had put on some music from her scroll, humoring them as they worked, hammering nails and ripping the old materials of the leaking roof. The sun was high in the cloudless sky, the heat merciless, and Blake couldn’t stop teasing Sun about sunburns she was sure he’ll have, but he didn’t complain. In fact, he confessed he kind of liked what they were doing. Until he let the hammer falls on his thumb. Swearing like a sailor, he jumped down, Kali already stepping out of the house and she quickly got him inside.

“Now you, be careful with that hammer, alright?” Yang joked, winking at Blake.

The faunus rolled her eyes, scoffing, as Yang laughed. They soon finished patching up the leak, and Yang sat on her hunches, nodding, satisfied with their work. They heard Kali call them, holding a plate, a small snack and two tall glass of water on it for them. They jumped in the nearby tree, then down on the ground, Blake giving back the hammer to Yang, and she put it back in the tool-belt around her hips.

“Thanks!” Yang cheered as she grabbed one of the glasses, throwing her head back, emptying it in quick gulps.

The tank top Yang was rearing was a little short on her, and as the blonde drank, the yellow tank top got lifted, and the tool-belt was weighting the hem of Yang’s pants down, revealing a good porting of skin of the blonde’s stomach. It wasn’t something she hadn’t already seen, but now… seeing the well-defined abs, ending in a perfect ‘V’ and disappearing under the hem, Blake felt her mouth going dry, even though she was drinking water right this instant. She heard someone clear their throat quietly, and glanced up, crossing her mother’s stare. The blonde was too preoccupied by the snack to noticed Blake’s stare, and being caught by her mother made her face go beet red.

And as she was about to dig in the snack too, she heard rapid footfalls coming their way, and she glanced at the main road at the same time as her mother.

“Yaaang!”

A group of children was running towards them, one boy in the front waving widely as he got closer.

“Baxter! Hey, little man!” Yang greeted with a smile as the kids stopped a few feet away, the young boy still running tackling the blonde in a hug.

“Are you coming to play with us today?” the boy asked as he stepped back, his wide, vibrant green eyes staring up at her above his large smile.

Yang hummed, glancing up at Kali.

“Is there something else I can do?”

The older faunus stared at her, her eyebrows raised in surprise as she glanced at her daughter.

“Um… There was only the roof, so… I guess you can go” Kali finally said.

The blonde and the little boy both shot their arms up above their heads, whooping happily. And Yang grabbed her coat and shrugged it on, then unbuckled the tool-belt to give it back to Kali before stopping.

“Blake? Could you… Tie my hair?”

“Of course.”

Blake stepped forward, and as gently as she could, gathered all the wild, blonde hair into a high ponytail, Yang giving her an orange hair-tie.

“All done” Blake softly said, resting her hand on the blonde’s shoulder, squeezing gently.

Yang looked over her shoulder with a playful smile, and tapped her hand before slowly walking away.

“Tag. You’re up!”

And she started running away, Baxter on her heels, with the rest of the kids, raising a cloud of dust in their wake. As Blake stared at the running blonde, dumbfounded, Kali laughed.

“I didn’t think you would be the one to play with the kids” she remarked, amused.

“I’m not” Blake muttered, grabbing her coat and putting it on quickly. “She is.”

She sighed, looking at the group as she saw one particular blonde waving widely, and Blake and her mother could hear her laughing. Kali noticed that the annoyed look softened after that, and she elbowed her daughter gently.

“I think you have a kid to catch” she joked, winking, and Blake rolled her eyes.

 

**** 

 

Yang was the tag again. Of course, the first person Blake chased was her, and the blonde then tagged Baxter, who tagged another kid and so on, and all in all, Yang had been tagged three times before. Blake only once, and it was because she was distracted by tying up her hair. But now, she wanted to tag Blake again. Fair play.

She had to say, she was at a disadvantage. She wasn’t as fast as Blake, and she didn’t know all the hiding spots of the town, instead of Blake and the kids. But, she knew the cat faunus. She knew Blake liked higher grounds. And so, she jumped from roof to roof, spotting a few hiding kids that didn’t expect one of them would go on the roof. But she hadn’t seen Blake.

Well, Yang knew she wasn’t known to be subtle. But when she finally spot Blake, the faunus comfortably sat, one elbow propped on the knee of a pulled up leg, the other leg hanging off the edge, as she was leaning back on one hand, her eyes closed. Relaxing in the sun.

Waiting.

Knowing that she would hear Yang long before the blonde could actually reach her.

Yang gritted her teeth. As silently as she could, she gathered a few stones, walking slowly. Blake was sitting on the roof of the next building. She would have to run to make the jump. And so, she started running, seeing Blake straightening her head as one of her ears flicked in her direction. When she jumped, she threw the stones father away from Blake, and when they hit the ground, Blake turned her head on the opposite side of her.

Perfect.

She landed heavily beside Blake, rolling on her shoulder, missing by an inch the faunus’s arm.

“Shi-” Blake started before interrupting herself.

Yang launched herself forward, her arms extended in front of her, trying desperately to tag Blake, but the faunus back flipped quickly, crouching on the edge of the building. Yang rolled on her shoulder again, and stopped to stare at Blake, one knee on the ground.

Her lilac eyes were open wide, fierce and excited, a large grin stamped on her face.

_Uh-oh._

Blake swallowed, holding Yang’s stare. They stayed still for a few seconds, waiting for the other to move.

At that moment, the air seemed to be filled with electricity, both challenging the other silently. And Blake noticed, as a slow grin pulled her lips, she missed that feeling.

“Come and get me, Blondie” Blake whispered, knowing the blonde would hear, as she straightened her back.

“Oh, you know I love it when you’re feisty” Yang said back, her voice low and sultry.

And for a moment, everything went still. It was as if everyone in town had suddenly stopped moving, stopped talking, even the breeze itself stopping. Just a faunus and a human staring into each other’s eyes. Then, more out of instinct than anything else, Blake jumped to the side, seeing Yang launch herself forward again.

Now, time seemed to go faster.

Blake back flipped gracefully from the edge of the building, landing on a lower roof, and as she jumped down on the ground, she heard Yang land heavily near her, and she immediately started running towards the marketplace, hoping to lose the blonde in the mass of people. But she could hear a rapid footfall hot on her heels, and when she chanced a glance above her shoulder, she could see vibrant lilac eyes and a very large grin, closer than she liked.

After slipping between two people, Blake heard them shout, probably when Yang tried to do the same, and she dashed to her right, sliding under a balcony into a small alley. After a few steps, noticing that nobody was following her, she slowed down, looking over her shoulder. Yang didn’t follow her. She stopped, leaning her hands on her knees as she tried to calm her breathing. Not that she was out of shape, but maybe, she had been a little carried away. She straightened her back, a victorious smile pulling her lips, and was about to climb back onto the rooftops, when she heard the rapid footfalls coming, from the other side of the alley.

Looking in that direction, Yang rounded the corner, already at full speed, her grin still there and her eyes focused on her. Her stare was so intense that for a hot second, Blake froze. But when she saw the grin inching larger, she shook her head.

_Hell no._

And she started running the other way, getting out of the alley, almost knocking her head against a wooden beam people were carrying, slowing down, and Yang just slide under it, never losing her speed. Blake knew she was closing in to her. As they crossed the hiding spots of the kids, Blake could hear them cheer for Yang, and judging by the suddenly faster breathing behind her, it was giving her a boost.

Blake glanced down, and judging by their shadows, Yang would soon be able to tag her. The faunus did a few feints, changing directions, hoping the blonde would get caught, but she was still going, following her almost to the step. Blake felt her legs and her lungs were burning, knowing she had to lose Yang quickly or she’ll get tagged. Glancing around, she spotted a few hay bales on her left, and did a quick feint to her right before dashing the other way, the blonde stumbling slightly but following close.

As Blake closed it, she quickly jumped above them, using her hand as a pivot to not break her speed, but the blonde launched herself forward, making the faunus trip, and they both crashed on the dirt, rolling a few times. Blake quickly got to her feet, but Yang jumped on her, and they fell again, this time rolling slightly farther, and finally, Yang had pinned Blake under her, straddling her waist.

They took a moment to catch their breath, the blonde on all four above Blake, until Yang straightened her head, a devious smile pulling her lips.

“Tag. You’re up” the blonde breathed as she sat back on her heels.

Blake, raising a single eyebrow, slapped the blonde’s arm, with a little more force than necessary.

“Tag.”

“Nu-huh, doesn’t work that way” the blonde countered.

“But I tagged you back earlier.”

“That was different. We didn’t run like crazy, earlier.”

Blake scoffed, but didn’t argue. She only let her head fall back on the ground, closing her eyes in defeat as Yang cackled, still high from her victory.

“I knew I could catch you! Hah! If Sun could have seen it-AAAH!”

The weight of Yang moving from her, and the blonde’s yell, made Blake jump, startled, and Yang brought her hands to her neck, feeling a giant hand had grabbed her coat by the neck and lifted her.

“What is happening here?” a low, deep voice asked, and Yang tried to glance over her shoulder.

A man with dark, short black hair, and equally dark beard looked straight at her with a poisonous glare, his bright yellow eyes narrowed at the blonde he held by the neck like a misbehaving puppy.

“Dad! Let her down!” Blake ordered as she stood, dusting herself, her eyes glancing from the blonde to the man.

He raised a single eyebrow, still holding Yang a few feet in the air as if she weighted nothing, and stared at his daughter, a look of disapproval when he saw her white coat dirty with dust and mud.

“You were getting robbed and you want me to let her down? I thought you were able to defend yourself” his booming voice replied.

“I wasn’t getting robbed! We were playing tag! Now get her down, so I can introduce you” she muttered, her ears flat on her head, and when he narrowed his eyes at her, she rolled hers. “Please” she added.

After a few seconds, he scoffed, finally setting the blonde down, and Yang quietly shuffled to Blake’s side.

“Dad, this is Yang, my partner” Blake said, resting a hand on the blonde’s arm. “Yang, meet my father.”

His dark eyebrows were knitted together for a moment, staring at the blonde, and he nodded, extending his hand in front of him.

“I’m Ghira Belladonna” he finally said, and Blake’s eye twitched when he introduced himself with his full name.

But when Yang didn’t move, Blake glanced at her, the blonde staring at Blake’s father as if he was some kind of mystic creature, and she elbowed her discreetly.

“Oh, um. I’m Yang… Xiao Long” she mumbled, hesitating with her full name, and she took his offered hand.

He had offered his right hand, so Yang used hers as well, and his yellow eyes fell on the prosthetic hand in his as he shook it twice. He hummed loudly at the sight, before pulling away, his eyes going back to Yang.

“I heard many things about you” he said, his features softening slightly.

Yang chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck with her left hand.

“I hope it was good things, then” she tried to smile, and it could be convincing for people who didn’t know the blonde.

Like Ghira.

Blake knew better. The blonde was nervous beyond words.

The tall, gigantic man smiled, making him look less terrifying, and he glanced at his daughter.

“I’m going home. Don’t be late for dinner, you two.”

“We won’t” Blake promised.

“See you later” Yang weakly waved.

And he turned on his heels, walking away down the hill slowly. When he was far away, Blake looked at Yang, and the blonde was still staring at her father.

“Yang, what’s wrong?”

She stayed silent for a few seconds, perfectly still, and after what felt like a decade, Yang slowly turned her head to look at Blake.

“I’m glad you’re your mother’s size. I think I would be perpetually intimidated if you were his size.”

Blake rolled her eyes with a small smile, gently punching the blonde’s shoulder.

 

**** 

 

“So, Yang, what have you been doing, except rolling in the dirt with my daughter?” Ghira asked casually, as if he was talking about the weather.

And as if on cue, Blake, Kali, Sun and Yang chocked on whatever they were drinking/eating. Blake’s face was beet red by the time she calmed down enough to speak, and Yang wasn’t better.

“We were playing chase, I told you!” Blake narrowed her eyes at her father.

“You _what_?” Kali and Sun asked Yang at the same time.

Yang chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck.

“We were playing with the kids, and I really wanted to tag Blake. But she kept getting away, so…”

“She also repaired a leak in the roof” Kali added, her eyes staring at Blake, who ignored her.

Ghira raised his eyebrows as he stared at the blonde, humming as he nodded approvingly.

“Well, thank you. That is one less thing I’ll have to do.”

“If I can do something else, let me know” the blonde demanded, smiling. “I’m good with my hands.”

The man hummed again, and he pinched his lips for a second.

“Is it your bike outside?” he asked, leaning his elbows on the table.

Yang nodded swiftly.

“Did you build it?”

This time, Yang’s smile was cocky, and she puffed her chest proudly.

“I did!”

He hummed again, this time pleasantly surprised. And both of them started talking about mechanic, and bikes, and Blake felt kind of left out along with her mother, for Sun being stuck in the middle.

Later, when Blake was taking the plates back to the kitchen as the trio was still talking, Kali followed her.

“Rolling in the dirt, huh?” she said playfully under her breath, nudging her daughter gently.

Blake caught her hand, squeezing lightly.

“Don’t tease me, Mom. I’m really not in the mood.”

Instantly, Kali’s smile vanished, traded with a worried frown.

“Why, what happened?”

“Nothing, don’t worry” Blake assured, and her mother’s features softened. “It’s just… I guess I’m nervous? I hope Dad will like her.” Then, she scoffed. “I say as I didn’t even tell her how I feel about her” Blake grumbled, setting a few plates in the sink to rinse them, grimacing.

Her mother patted her arm gently, smiling warmly.

“Don’t rush, Blake. You’ll tell her when you’re ready. And” she added, glancing towards the dining room, hearing Yang laugh along with Sun, “I’m pretty sure he’ll like her.”

Blake nodded silently, setting the plate in the dishwasher. Kali patted her back one last time before disappearing out of the room. With a sigh, she walked back to the dining room, seeing that Yang was still sitting and talking as Sun was gathering the last of the plates.

“Yang, are you going to give us a hand or what?” she asked, annoyed as she stood in the doorway.

The blonde interrupted what she was saying to look at her for a second, before smiling widely.

“Think fast!”

In one swift movement, the blonde’s left hand pressed at the joint where the prosthetic right arm started, a ‘click!’ was heard and the blonde threw the arm in her direction, Blake catching it as if it was the only thing she did all her life.

“There’s your hand!” Yang’s smile seemed to reach her ears, trying to stifle her laughter as Sun roared a laugh.

Blake felt her eye twitch, and she pointed at the blonde with the prosthetic, stepping forward menacingly.

“I’m going to slap you with your own hand, Xiao Long” she threatened through gritted teeth, her ears folded back.

But the blonde only laughed heartily, her left hand clutching at her shirt. If she was true to herself, seeing the blonde laugh like that, without holding back, was the most gorgeous thing she had ever seen, and as she felt herself relax, she hoped it wasn’t showing on her face.

“Threats, now?” the blonde managed to say. “Are you still bitter because I successfully tagged you?”

Oh, that smirked. Blake narrowed her eyes as she walked closer, Yang jumping to her feet, standing tall. The blonde had a couple of inches on her, and she had to raise her head if she wanted to stare her dead in the eyes.

“At least, I made you work for it” she replied, shoving the prosthetic arm into Yang.

The blonde chuckled quietly, her eyes taking a shade darker, but her smile was still irritatingly cocky.

“Oh, I already told you, kitty cat. I love it when you’re feisty” she murmured, clicking her prosthetic into place.

Blake’s ears were flat on her head and she crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her chin up.

“I already told you not to call me that, _Blondie_.”

The amount of venom in Blake’s tone made Yang’s face sharpened, the lilac in her eyes waving, the soft reddish tone starting to appear. And they stared at each other, just like earlier that day, with the air filled with electricity, sparks almost visible around them. Waiting for the first to move, for one of them to say something.

“Girls?”

They both jumped, turning their heads towards Kali, who had heard the low exchange, and glanced back and forth between Blake and Yang, doing a double take for the blonde.

“It’s fine” Yang assured, blinking, her eyes taking their natural lilac. “I think I just need some fresh air.”

She smiled at Kali, then at Blake, her eyes staying on her a little longer, before walking outside, unusually silently. Both women looked at her go, and when she got out of the room, Kali glanced at Blake, questioning.

“It’s nothing” Blake assured, sighing, her ears drooped. “I took her teasing a little too seriously. I’ll just… go talk to her.”

“Are you sure?” her mother asked, her voice lowering. “It looked pretty intense.”

Blake snorted, running a hand into her hair.

“Everything about her is ‘pretty intense’, Mom. Don’t worry. It’s not the first time it happens, and probably won’t be the last.”

 

**** 

 

Yang wasn’t difficult to find. She had put some music from her scroll again, and Blake only had to follow it. Yang had wandered in the opposite direction of the town, passed the few bushes and palm trees, and crossed the trail to find one of the small beaches that boarded Menagerie, the place deserted at this hour. The shattered moon was high in the cloudless sky, the stars seeming brighter than ever, here. The blonde sat on a large, flat rock, her hair, that she had let down before dinner, was swirling in the breeze softly.

She took a moment to look at her, alone in that beautiful place, taking in the view, saving it somewhere in her memory. And, with a sharp breath, she walked towards her, trying to make enough noise so the blonde would hear her coming. She made sure to be on Yang’s left when she got close, and Yang didn’t even bother glancing behind her shoulder to know it was Blake, and she scooted on her seat, giving Blake some room. The faunus sat down beside Yang, silently, and they stayed like that for a moment. Yang tapped on the screen of her scroll, lowering the volume so it wouldn’t bother the sharp hearing of Blake.

The faunus pulled her legs to her chest, looping her arms around her knees. Yang still hadn’t looked her way, but she looked relaxed, blinking slowly as she admired the view. Blake swallowed, glancing down at the blonde’s hand, inches away from her.

“I’m sorry” the faunus murmured, looking back at the moon, her ears drooped.

She heard the soft huff the blonde made, knowing without looking that she was smiling a small, soft smile.

“I’m sorry too” she said quietly. “I knew there was something, and I shouldn’t have teased you.”

Blake grimaced. Even after all their time apart, Yang was still able to notice when Blake was feeling down. After Weiss’s dramatic outburst to Blake, back at Beacon, Yang made sure to be the one noticing first, and always tried to talk to her when something was wrong.

“I want Dad to like you, and I’m… I’m nervous” Blake mumbled, leaning her cheek on her kneecap.

Yang frowned, glancing at her with a curious smile.

“Why do you want him to like me? I mean, he doesn’t like Sun, if I understood correctly.”

“Because” Blake rolled her eyes, throwing her hands in the air before clutching her knees again. “You’re important to me, and I want my parents to see how great you are. Besides, I can say for sure that Sun has grown on him, otherwise, he would already be back to Vacuo.”

There was a silence, and Blake frowned, glancing up, to see Yang’s lopsided smile.

“You think I’m great?” she asked in a hushed tone, her voice half-joking, half-serious.

Blake rolled her eyes, smiling, and she slapped the blonde’s arm.

“Don’t be a pest. Of course I do.”

Yang laughed quietly, returning her attention to the view in front of them. They listened to the sounds of the waves, quiet, with an idle pattern, relaxing as a soft song came up. Yang suddenly straightened her back, smiling, and she jumped down the rock, extending her hand to Blake. The faunus stared at it for a moment, before glancing up, the blonde laughing softly.

“ _I wanna dance with you_ …” she sang softly, flexing her fingers a few times, insistent.

Blake snorted, blushing slightly, thanking the darkness for hiding it to the blonde as she took her hand, standing. Gently, the blonde pulled her close, her left hand warm in Blake’s, her prosthetic sliding behind the faunus’s lower back, and Blake set her left hand on Yang’s shoulder as they started to slow dance, alone on the beach.

After a moment, Blake’s hand slipped behind the blonde’s neck, toying with Yang’s hair as she leaned her head on the blonde’s shoulder, feeling Yang holding her closer. As the song was nearing the end, Blake sighed.

“I can tell you everything, right?” she asked in a soft, hushed tone.

“Of course” Yang replied in the same hushed tone.

“I wish the song lasted longer.”

“Oh, but it can” the blonde countered, stepping on the side to tap on the screen of her scroll a few times, the song starting again.

The faunus huffed when the blonde looked back at her, smiling proudly and with just a tad bit of mischief in her eyes as she pulled Blake in her arms again. This time, the faunus buried her face in the blonde’s neck, sighing contentedly, feeling the prosthetic thumb drawing patterns on her hip, over the fabric of her coat.

“I can tell you everything, right?” she heard Yang ask, murmuring right in her human ear, and she couldn’t help the shiver running along her spine.

“Yes” Blake mumbled, hoping her voice didn’t shake.

“I wish this moment would never end.”

Blake raised her eyebrows, feeling her ears perked up on top of her head, and by the soft, cooing laugh Yang made, she noticed it too.

“You would spend your life slow dancing?” Blake tried to joke, trying to keep her voice hushed, so the trembling wouldn’t be evident.

Yang snorted, and she leaned her cheek on Blake’s head.

“With you? Heck yeah” Yang answered, serious.

Blake froze, well, her brain froze, her body only following Yang’s. Feeling her heart hammering in her chest, hoping that Yang couldn’t feel it, she swallowed, trying to control her breathing.

_Keep it cool, Belladonna. Don’t fuck this up._

“You know, I thought you were dating Sun, at first.” the blonde said before she could say anything, and Blake closed her eyes, cursing mentally. “Then I realised you two weren’t dating, but, you know, I thought that you weren’t into women. But when I caught you staring at me all the time we worked on the roof, I was kinda surprised.”

“I didn’t stare!” Blake objected as she straightened her head.

But when she was met with the growing smile of the blonde, she knew she got caught, and even in the darkness, Yang noticed her blush.

“Partner’s intuition, remember? I can feel your stare” the blonde murmured, winking. “I was pleasantly surprised, I must say” the blonde continued, her eyes half-closed.

Blake leaned her forehead against Yang’s shoulder again, sighing, the blonde still holding her close as the song started again. They stayed silent for a moment, Blake trying to think of something to say, but she feared that the string of words she was about to say wouldn’t be the right ones. And it was Yang, after squeezing Blake’s hand, that spoke.

“Look, all I’m saying is… I’m interested. But I don’t want to rush you.”

Blake straightened her head, looking at the blonde, but Yang avoided her eyes, glancing away as she grimaced.

“As you know, I have a tendency to do that. Rush into things, head on.”

“That’s an understatement.”

Blake chuckled quietly, her hand on the blonde’s neck stroking the skin gently, and Yang sighed, toying with the hem of Blake’s coat with her prosthetic hand.

“I just want to be sure I don’t put pressure on you, okay?” she insisted, still looking away. “I’m just saying, you know, I mean I say this but I don’t even know if you’re interested, even though I kinda have an idea, but who knows? And, you know, I don’t want to get cocky and be too much around you, so I’m just saying-”

“Yang.”

“Look, I’ll be honest, I got a thing for you for a long time, but since I thought you had a thing for Sun, I didn’t make a move, and as I said, I don’t want to be too much or something, so-”

Blake grabbed the blonde’s face, interrupting her rambling effectively, and she cupped her cheek, thumbing her cheekbones softly. Blake smiled softly when she noticed the blonde was biting her lip, trying to stay silent.

“You sound like Ruby, rambling like that” Blake noted, bringing a small smile to the blonde’s lips. “Relax.”

And she inched their faces closer, standing on the tip of her toes, her eyes locked with Yang’s, glowing gold in dark lilacs.

“I’m interested too” she murmured, brushing her lips against Yang’s, waiting for her reaction.

Yang’s left hand wrapped around Blake’s wrist gently, as if to stop her from going away, and Blake heard the catch in her breath, before leaning in, her lips soft and warm against Blake’s. Yang pulled her closer, her eyes closing as her left hand left Blake’s wrist to cup her cheek, and Blake let her fingers slide in the blonde mane, her arms looping behind Yang’s neck. Blake couldn’t say how much time passed, not that she cared. It felt right, like coming home after a really long journey. Which was kind of the case. And when she felt Yang grazing her teeth on her lip in a soft bite, she pulled away gently, feeling her heart hammering in her chest, her head spinning.

“Was it too much?” Yang asked, her features scrunched up in worry.

“No! Dust, no” Blake assured, swallowing and clearing her throat to regain some kind of confidence. “It’s just, um… Let’s just go home, alright? While I still have all my head.”

Yang smiled cockily, her eyes half-lidded, and Blake smiled too, blushing slightly.

“Why, you think you’re gonna lose your head if we keep this up?”

“Maybe” Blake conceded, and Yang’s smile only grew wider. “But, I don’t want my mother to worry and start looking for us. I think it could be a little out of hand when she finds us.”

“Or it might be your father” Yang whispered, her eyes widening in horror as her smiled disappeared. “Let’s go home.”

Blake laughed as Yang gently took her hand in her flesh one, thumbing her knuckles. They walked back to the house lazily, linked by their hands, both looking at the stars above them as Blake pointed at the few constellations she knew, wishing she knew more when she saw how Yang was interested. And when they arrived by the house, just before Yang climbed the stairs, Blake pulled her back, stealing a kiss from her lips as the blonde laughed her cooing laugh.

They were about to twist the doorknob when the door flew open, Kali blinking at them when both Blake and Yang stared at her with large grins stamped on their faces.

“Are you alright?” she asked them, glancing back and forth between them, her eyebrows furrowing.

“Yes! I was going to bed! ‘Night Kali, ‘night Blake!” the blonde said, almost too cheerful as she waved at them, walking to the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

Kali raised her eyebrows as she watched her go, before glancing back at her daughter with a suspicious look. But Blake kept smiling as she stepped inside, closing the door behind her, and Kali’s expression softened, her lips pulled by a playful smile.

“I understand it went well?” she said in a low tone, knowing that nobody could hear, but it was more out of habit than anything.

And Blake Belladonna started giggling uncontrollably, hiding her face in her hands as she leaned her head on her mother’s shoulder, blushing slightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, so the song that plays as they dance on the beach is a really, really good song that i deeply love, and I'm just really glad I wrote something with it. and here it is!!
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRDB3AW_aLY
> 
> If you are curious (which I hope you are), this song is Dance with you, by Live.
> 
> Enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so this one is... kinda dark, but... 
> 
> but I promise, the other chapters won't be. So please, don't hate me.

She woke up slowly, not knowing what had woken her. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking lazily, noticing how dark the room was, but she could see, on the horizon out the window, the sun was about to rise. She closed her eyes, slightly annoyed to be awoken for nothing like this, until she felt the bed dip beside her and she glanced over her shoulder, jumping slightly in surprise.

Draped in darkness with only two bright, glowing eyes, Blake slipped under the covers and cuddled close to Yang, struggling slightly to push the blonde mane aside as she wrapped an arm around Yang’s waist.

“Hey” the blonde murmured, her voice raspy from sleep as she frowned, clearing her throat quietly.

Blake didn’t answer, only nuzzling the blonde’s nape as she snuggled Yang’s back, holding her closer. Yang’s frown deepened, turning to worry, and she set her hand above Blake’s, her fingers entwining with hers.

“You alright?” she asked, trying to look behind her, but she could only see Blake’s shoulder.

“I had a dream” the faunus finally answered, her voice quiet and slightly trembling. “Well, a nightmare. I dreamed… I dreamed you died.”

Yang shifted, turning on her other side to face Blake as the faunus buried her face in the blonde’s neck, clutching the clothes on her back.

“I had to make sure you were alright” Blake murmured against her skin.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Yang asked in her hair, hugging her as close as she could, petting her head gently.

“No. I’m just glad you’re alright.”

Yang nodded, kissing her temple, holding her silently for a moment. After she felt Blake relaxed, the blonde smiled, nuzzling her human ear.

“You know, I’m more than a pretty face. I’m tougher than I look” she joked, earning a glare from glowing golden eyes.

But Blake stayed silent, snuggling impossibly closer to Yang. The blonde smiled softly, kissing her temple again before settling in, signing as she felt the faunus relax in her arms, her breathing slowing, surrounded by lavender and vanilla. Soon, they both fell asleep, feeling warm and peaceful.

Safe.

 

**** 

 

“Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?”

“Nah, help your mom. I can go grocery shopping alone, Blake. Besides, I have a _list_!”

The blonde raised her hand, holding the piece of paper in front of her with a large smile, the smooth handwriting of Kali darkening it. Blake raised a single eyebrow, looking doubtfully at it, before glancing up at Yang, her lips pursed.

“Just… Don’t break anything? And, don’t stop to play with the kids.”

Yang rolled her eyes, grunting as she tucked the list in her chest pocket.

“Yes, _Mom_ ” she said, her voice playful.

Blake huffed, slapping the blonde’s arm.

“Be home for dinner. Don’t be late” Blake played along, using her most ‘Mom’ voice, frowning at Yang as she pointed a finger at her.

Yang laughed, closing the door behind her, and Blake walked back to her mother’s office, a smile stamped on her face.

“Domestic already?” Kali teased as soon as Blake entered, making her blush.

Blake rolled her eyes but said nothing, silently taking a carton and propping it on her mother’s desk. Kali had received a shipment of books that needed to be put away in her bookcases, and she wanted Blake’s help to put them in alphabetic order. Besides, Blake liked to do that, so it was a win-win. Ghira was outside, working in the shed behind the house, and she figured Sun was with him. Blake smiled, glad that the two seemed to finally get along.

As they put the books away, both faunus chatted lightly. There were a lot of cartons, and it took a few hours for them to finally finish classing them. As they dusted themselves, Blake smiled. She was glad her parents love for books had been passed to her as well, and she laughed quietly when she saw her mother run her fingers on the spines of the older books she had, feeling the old leather, recognising her own habit.

They moved to the kitchen, hearing Sun laugh nearby, and Ghira sighing. They started to prepare a light snack, when Blake glanced at the clock. It had been three hours since Yang was gone. The town was close, and it was only a couple of things the blonde had to buy. She frowned, the vivid memory of her dream haunting her. But she shook her head. Yang would be fine. She was just running some errands. Maybe she saw Baxter and was playing with him, she thought, smiling.

But as the time went on, even Kali started to show signs of worry, as she glanced at the clock, but she said nothing, probably telling herself just what Blake did. It was nearing the fourth hour, and Blake was about to go search for the blonde when both Kali and Blake heard a tumble on the front porch, before someone knocked on the door. More like banged on the door, frantic.

Kali went to answer, Blake following in tow, and when the door opened, instead of a tall blonde like Blake had hoped, it was a small boy, with wide, vibrant green eyes.

“Baxter?” Blake called, surprised.

He never did knock at the door, he only waited for Yang to go out. And the way his eyes were wide, glancing around quickly… Blake felt her stomach churn, the bad feeling hovering in the back of her head settling in.

He looked past her mother, staring directly at Blake as she stepped in front of Kali, his tiny fists clutching his shirt.

“Yang is in trouble! You have to help her!”

Instantly, Blake set a knee on the ground, gripping his frail shoulders firmly.

“Why, what happened?”

“I don’t know!” he said. “I was talking with her, and Dad saw her and he was mad. He yelled at me to go away, and he said that humans are bad and evil and… and Uncle hit her head from behind.”

He sniffed, his eyes welling up as Blake felt a cold sweat run down her spine.

“People were screaming and Dad took her in town. I followed them, and I told Dad that she was kind and she played with me every day, but he didn’t listen!” he sniffed again, this time a tiny sob racking his chest. “I followed them, and I know where they took Yang! I can show you!”

He hadn’t even finished his sentence and Blake was already on her feet, taking Gambol Shroud from his spot next to the door, her golden eyes trailing for a short second on the yellow bracers next to it, as Kali quickly disappeared in the back, probably going to tell Ghira and Sun. Blake didn’t wait for them. The bad feeling kept growing in her mind, and she grabbed Baxter by the collar, throwing him on her back as she started running towards the town.

The boy gripped Blake’s shoulders to keep steady, and he lead the faunus through a series of alley in town, until she had to stop as she rounded a corner, her feet slipping in the dirt. A massive crowd had formed, people cheering and yelling incoherently, and Blake cursed loudly, gritting her teeth. This was the place, for sure. She dropped the boy nearby, telling him to stay safe, and she tried to make her way through the crowd, slipping between people jumping and shifting. She was nearing the center when she caught a voice, and her ears perked up.

“That’s no way to treat a lady” she heard Yang say, and she could hear how her breath was short, threatening.

Blake heard someone spit audibly, then a laugh.

“You’re not a lady” a man voice said, almost hissing. “You’re just a filthy human.”

“Your kind is a plague!” yelled another man. “We should get rid of you, once and for all!”

“You really think doing this to me will rid Remnant of humans?” she heard the blonde’s voice said, sarcastic. “Isn’t it a bit of wishful thinking?”

She heard a thump, and by the sound Yang made, she figured one of the men had punched her in the stomach. Just the fact that Yang let them was beyond her.

“Shut up, filth” the first man said. “We didn’t ask for your opinion.”

The blonde grunted, and Blake was so focused by the voices that she also heard the creaking of a rope. That’s why Yang wasn’t defending herself. She was tied. Blake felt her face twist in anger, and instead of slipping between people, she just shoved them aside, making her way to the center quickly as some of them yelled in surprise.

“Yeah, well, if you’re going to kill me just because I’m human, I’ll damn well give you my opinion. And my opinion is: this solution suck, and you’re dumb if you think it will get better after this.”

“Shut up!” the second man roared, and she could hear someone stomp their foot. “Even if you think it suck, what are you gonna do, huh? Punch me in the fa-”

She heard something crack, the man who was speaking starting to scream in pain and the crowd seemed to step back all at once, squeezing Blake in place as she cursed.

“I can’t punch you, but I can still kick you in the face, dummy” she heard Yang cackle.

She heard the first voice curse under their breath and a quick succession of grunts from Yang told her he was beating her for the stunt she did with the other man. Someone in the crowd threw something shiny that caught Blake’s eye, and before it disappeared behind the sea of people, she saw a long, thick iron baton. And when she heard the second man laugh, slightly stifled, she figured he took it.

She had to help Yang. Quickly.

“You want to play tough, huh?” she heard him say in a low tone.

Blake caught in the corner of her eye a small stand, to her right. And if she could climb on it, she could see what was going on. And so, she quickly shoved her way in the crowd, climbed on the stand, never minding the people shouting at her, and she glanced back at the source of everyone’s attention at the same time the man struck Yang.

Her wrists tied up above her head onto a thick pole, Yang couldn’t do much except raise her shoulders and hide her head between her elbows to shield her head, leaving her sides exposed as the iron baton struck her side, and Blake could hear the air leaving the blonde’s lungs, Yang hanging on the rope to keep her steady as the man swung the baton again. Without thinking, she jumped, using her shadows to give her speed, and as the iron shaft was about to struck Yang again, she unsheathed her sword, both clanging together loudly.

Yang opened her eyes wide, surprised, and the man stared at Blake, blinking his wide green eyes. This was Baxter’s dad, Blake understood, seeing the scaled knuckles holding the baton shake slightly. She glanced over her shoulder at Yang, the blonde looking exhausted, her eyes flaring red but she smiled, a cut above one of her eyebrows bleeding into her eye, and she already had a growing bruise on her jaw, with a bleeding cut on her lip. Blake felt her eye twitch, her ears flatten on her head, and when she looked back at the man in front of her, the only thing she was thinking was murder.

“You should step back” she heard Yang tell Baxter’s dad, laughing weakly. “You really don’t want to upset her more than she is.”

As the man glanced at Yang, his face twisting, Blake pushed on her sword, making him stumble backward, and she harshly slapped the side of her blade on his hand, with enough force so that the baton flew away, twirling in the air before sinking in the dirt, a couple of feet to the side. His green eyes followed it, and when he glanced back to the other faunus, he stepped back again, Blake’s murderous aura enough to make him shake and swallow, hesitating.

The first man, probably Baxter’s uncle, tried to sneak to Blake’s side to disarm her, but when he tried to hit her, she stepped on the side, punching him right in the face with her sword’s hilt, sending him stumbling to the side as he cupped his bleeding nose. But when he turned around, ready to jump on her, he stopped, his eyes big and round when he felt the tip of Blake’s sharp blade under his chin.

“What do you think you’re doing” Blake hissed through gritted teeth, the hand gripping the hilt of her sword so tight, her knuckles had gone white. “The humans already think we’re savages. Do you think that having this kind of behavior will favor us? By doing that, we’re not better than them!”

The two men in front of her stayed silent, but both of them stared at her in anger, their hands balling into fists. She could hear people in the crowd recognise her. Being the daughter and only child of the chieftain had its advantages… and its disadvantages.

“Why are you protecting the human?” someone shouted, spitting to the ground.

“You, of all people, should be on our side-”

“Me, ‘of all people’?” Blake spat out, kicking Baxter’s uncle back a few steps, keeping her eyes on them. “Because I’m the Chieftain’s daughter I have to let cruelty on a human slide? Is that what you’re all saying?” she asked, her voice loud and clear, glaring at the crowd around them.

When nobody talked, she straightened her back, remembering and mimicking her father when he talked to a crowd. Her face sharpened and she lowered her blade, but still kept it in hand, ready to any eventuality.

“I traveled to Vale” she announced, her booming voice catching everyone’s attention. “I’ve seen many humans, there. There were good and bad individual. This woman, this ‘human’” she paused, waving at Yang, who winked at her, “was my partner when I was at Beacon. As you all know, already.”

When she pointedly paused, frowning down at the two men that had hurt the blonde, they seemed to shrink under her stare, and she continued after a few seconds.

“And this woman protected me, a faunus, more times than I can count. Just like many other humans I’ve met, and other faunus I’ve met. This woman” she insisted, her voice rising in pitch as she turned on her heels to try and catch everyone’s attention, “saved me. She lost her arm when she saved me from someone of our own kind!”

This caused a low wave of murmur in the crowd, and the two men in front of Blake glanced at each other. When it was about to get louder, Blake raised her voice again.

“Just like the humans, there are good and bad faunus people. And instead of doing barbaric things like this” she said, pointing at Yang with an angered finger, “we should be an example. No humans would come here without a good reason. The few humans that come here are friendly, like her! We should show them what we can be!”

“What is the meaning of this?”

Blake heard the thundering voice of her father, and a wave of relief washed over her. She saw him walking closer, at least a head and a half taller than most people gathered around, shoving them aside, his eyes staring at his daughter as he looked over her from head to toe, searching for wounds. When he finished his silent inspection, he glanced behind Blake, and his face twisted in a mix of anger and disgust.

“Who did this?” he roared as he stomped his way to them, furious.

When Blake pointed at the two men in front of her, he loomed over them, and Blake could see them start shaking as they kept their eyes cast down.

“You two, wait here. I’m not done with you.” He growled in a low tone, and both men nodded without a reply. “This is inacceptable!” he spoke loudly as he turned around on his heels, staring at the crowd. “I will not tolerate this kind of behavior! Never! Now go home, and don’t think this will be the end of it!”

And the crowd quickly dispersed. Blake wished she had that authority, sometimes. She saw Sun slip between a group of person, and he jogged his way to them as Blake returned her attention to Yang, the blonde head hanging low.

“Yang?” Blake called, sheathing her sword as she stepped closer, not bothering to listen as her father ordered people around.

The blonde straightened her head, the cut on her forehead still bleeding a little, and the bruise on her jaw started to color. Yang tried to wipe her eye on her shoulder, but she grunted, the sound quiet as Blake was untying her.

“What happened to your aura?” the faunus asked, trying to work fast, feeling Yang lean her head on her shoulder. “What did they do to you?”

“They drained me” Yang answered simply. “Hit me until my aura break.”

“Why didn’t you fight back?” Blake’s voice wavered slightly, cursing against the knot.

“They didn’t have weapons, and no experience of fighting. My fists are my weapon, Blake.”

“Well, you can defend yourself! This isn’t a question of fair fight or anything!” Blake countered, losing patience with the knots. “What kind of knot is this?” she muttered, gritting her teeth.

She was about to unsheathe her weapon when a knife cut the rope, and Blake recognised her father’s. Yang fell forward, the only thing holding her standing being the rope, and Blake tried as best as she could to hold her. But Yang was taller, and far heavier than her, and when the faunus tried to put the blonde’s arm around her shoulder, Yang hissed in pain, stumbling slightly. And by the blonde’s sudden paleness, her eyes blinking and her clumsiness, Blake knew she was about to faint.

“Dad!” Blake pleaded, glancing up at him.

But he was already scooping the blonde in his arms, and the pain brought by moving so much made Yang pass out, her head falling back as her body went limp.

“Be careful” Blake reminded him, her eyes staying on the blonde’s face, pushing a bloody blonde lock out of her face.

“Sun” Ghira called, hefting Yang a little higher in his arms. “Watch them. I’ll be right back.”

“Yes, sir” the monkey faunus replied, his features hard as he stared at the two men, his red and gold baton at his side and in plain view.

His blue eyes fell on Blake, and she smiled weakly, knowing that Sun would do as her father says. He glanced at Yang, and his face hardened even more as he glared venom at the two men, now sitting at the base of the pole where Yang had been tied too.

The walk to the Belladonna household wasn’t long, or at least it didn’t seem to, Blake fussing around her father all the way, worried, but Ghira stayed silent. Blake opened the door for her father to enter, Kali walking in the living room at the same time with a worried expression, and she gasped when she saw the passed out blonde in his arms. He laid her on the couch, and Kali instantly went back in the hallway, before returning with a first aid kit.

Ghira straightened his back, his eyes staying on Yang for a few seconds, and he glanced at Blake, noticing her ears flatten against her head. He set a hand on her shoulder, squeezing lightly, before turning on his heels and walking out of the house.

“What happened?” Kali asked, opening the kit, her hands pausing for a moment as she looked over Yang, deciding she would take care of the cut on her forehead first.

“Racist happened” Blake answered, pushing back the blonde hair from Yang’s face, making room for Kali to work.

Her mother glanced up at her, but when she saw her face, closed, unreadable, she returned to work, silently. Kali asked Blake to fetch a few things, and the young faunus went to get them quickly, almost too eager to do something. Then Blake mentioned the strikes to Yang’s side, and Kali frowned. They shed Yang’s coat away, and pulled up her orange tank top, revealing blue and purple bruises. Kali could hear Blake gritting her teeth, but when she looked at her, her face was unreadable, almost looking disinterested, but her ears flush against her scalp was saying more than any words.

Kali patted Yang’s sides, but after a moment, she sighed, sitting back on her haunches.

“I don’t know if her ribs are alright, Blake. I have to call a doctor.”

Blake nodded, already knowing who it will be. And Kali sent her fetch the most trusted doctor they knew, knowing the man wouldn’t mind the patient was human.

“She has no broken ribs” Doctor Scarlatina finally sighed after examining Yang. “No internal bleeding. But she does have a few cracked ribs. So no fighting, no lifting, no moving around too much. She has to take it easy until it is fully healed.”

He ran a hand in his hair, tugging slightly at one of his rabbit ears, glancing at the sleeping blonde. She was only in her sport bra, now, and tight bandages were holding her ribcage tightly in place.

“She’s lucky you arrived when you did” he said, glancing back to Blake. “A few more hits, and a broken rib could have perforate her lung… or worst.”

“You were there?” Blake asked, frowning, her face sharpening.

He smiled tiredly, raising a hand in front of him in a peaceful manner.

“I was passing by when you intervened. I was worried for her. Velvet talked about your team a few times, so…”

Blake nodded, humming, her features softening. After the fall of Beacon, the Scarlatina family moved to Menagerie, afraid of the repercussion of the implication of the White Fang in it. But Velvet, being a third year, had stayed with Coco and the rest of her team.

“Don’t believe what you saw on the news, at the Vytal tournament” Blake blurted out, pointing at Yang with her chin. “She was tricked. She would never attack someone who’s already down.”

He looked at her, his soft brown eyes searching hers for a few seconds before he glanced at the blonde, frowning slightly.

“I got that, now. She’s that injured because she let it happen, right?” he asked, glancing back to Blake. “I know the training at Beacon. Even in first year, she could have taken every one of them, even without her weapon.”

Blake shifted, crossing her arms on her chest as her mother stared at her, her eyebrows raised.

“She said she didn’t fight back because they didn’t have weapons and no field experience.”

He hummed, one side of his lips pulled up as he glanced back at the blonde, and after a moment, he pinched his lips in a thin, fine line.

“It could be dangerous for her, if it happens again” he finally said, sliding his hands in his pocket. “She should be more careful.”

“Yeah, well. Try and tell her that” Blake muttered, staring at Yang.

He hummed, nodding. He rested his hand on her shoulder, catching her attention, and he smiled gently.

“She’s going to be alright” he said, nodding. “She’s tough.”

Blake nodded once, looking back at Yang, and after a moment of hesitation, he squeezed her shoulder slightly.

“You should rest. It’s been quite a lot for you, too.”

Blake tried to smile, but it failed, and she only managed to grimace. He patted her shoulder a few times, before walking away and out of the house, nodding at Kali on the way out. Blake walked to the end of the couch, her arms still crossed, her ears drooped as she looked over her partner. The good doctor had left some painkillers, and she didn’t know what he injected her earlier but Yang looked a whole lot more peaceful now. As she sat on the edge of the couch, both Blake and Kali heard a soft knock at the door. After a short glance between them, Kali went to answer, coming back in the living room with a really silent and pale-looking Baxter, his eyes red and puffy.

“Baxter” Blake called softly, standing.

“Is Yang alright?” he asked, twisting his hands together as he stayed near the front door.

Blake nodded, waving for him to come closer, and he tip toed his way to the couch, his eyes widening when he saw the bandages.

“She’s going to be alright, Baxter. She just need to rest right now. And” she smiled slightly, her hand falling on his frail shoulder, “she won’t be able to play with you for a while.”

His shoulders slouched slightly, but he stayed silent, his wide green eyes staring at Yang’s sleeping face. He toyed with his fingers a little more, and Blake heard him sniffle, and she frowned as she glanced down. Fat teardrops were rolling slowly on his cheeks silently, and Blake felt panic rise in her. Comforting a child was Yang’s domain, not hers.

She squeezed his shoulder slightly, hoping it would do the trick, and he turned, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face in her white coat’s side, a sob escaping his lips. Blake froze for a second, glancing up at her mother for help in panic, but Kali frowned, severe, waving at the boy. After a moment of hesitation, Blake petted his head, not really sure if it was okay, but he only hugged her closer, crying openly, now.

“I was really afraid when I saw Uncle hit her” he cried in her coat. “And now, she’s all hurt! Stupid Dad! Stupid Uncle! They didn’t understand that Yang is kind!”

Blake hesitated again, and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, still petting his head. She stayed silent, staring at Yang, letting the boy cry as much as he needed, and Kali silently left the room.

 

**** 

 

Baxter’s mother came to the house, searching for her son, and apologised for her husband’s behavior, earning nothing more than a hum, and the woman quickly left, Baxter in tow. Ghira and Sun came back too, about an hour later, both looking exhausted, but they said nothing.

This time, Sun carried Yang to her room, Blake watching him like a hawk, and after the blonde was in bed, she kept pacing in front of the door. Sun fell asleep on the couch of the living room, and Kali kept herself busy in the kitchen. Ghira went to his office, and after half an hour of Blake pacing in front of Yang’s door, he sighed.

“Blake” he called as he stepped out of his office, seeing his daughter stop in her track to look at him. “She won’t wake up faster even if you keep pacing.”

Her ears folded on her head as her expression darkened, and she resumed her pacing, her father raising his eyes to the sky.

“Blake” he called again.

This time, she didn’t stop, but glanced at him. He stepped back, waving before him, motioning to his office, inviting her silently, and she stopped again for a short second. After glancing one last time at the sleeping blonde, now wearing her tank top, her bandages visible underneath, she took a sharp breath and stepped towards her father, and into the room.

She went straight to the window, stopping in front of it as she crossed her arms, and she heard the soft ‘click!’ of the door closing, then the footsteps of her father. He sighed, walking to his desk, opening a drawer and pulled out a crystal glass, short and thick, and after a second of hesitation, pulled a second glass, setting it on the desk. Then he walked beside Blake, to the bookshelves, taking one of the crystal bottles that sat there. Blake knew it was alcohol; her father liked to conclude his meetings with handshakes and a small glass, but she somehow was surprised when he popped the cork and the smell hit her nose, grimacing. He poured some in the two glasses, before handing one to his daughter, poking her shoulder to catch her attention.

“Don’t tell your mother” he said with a small smile, knowing that Kali had probably heard him say that.

She huffed quietly as she took it, looking back outside, and when her father poked her glass with his, bringing it to his lips, she did the same. She grimaced slightly when the liquid hit her tongue, and burned her throat when she swallowed, but the wave of warmth she felt as it settled deep in her stomach was welcomed, and she closed her eyes for a moment. She felt the large hand of her father rest on her shoulder lightly, squeezing for a second.

“Are you alright?” he asked quietly.

Blake hummed, nodding, opening her eyes to look outside again. Her father had the best view, she thought. His office was an extended part of the house, and he had three, large windows, so he only had small, thick and long bookcases against the walls. But the fact that it was an extended part of the house, one of his windows was towards the ocean, giving the view just after the tall palm trees, and it looked directly to the small beach and the setting sun, sinking slowly in the ocean.

“It was quite a speech, back there” he continued, his hand falling to his side as he stood beside her, admiring the view. “You would make a great Chieftain, one day.”

Blake hummed again, not in the mood to argue. She took another sip, and she saw her father glance down at her.

“Are you sure you’re alright? You didn’t argue.”

She felt her lips pull in a small smile as she huffed, elbowing him gently as he laughed softly. They stayed silent, Blake just content to feel the powerful presence of her father, the alcohol working its magic inside her, burning gently in the pit of her stomach. And after a while again, finishing his glass and setting it on the windowsill, he looked down at Blake.

“You should rest, at least a little, Blake. It’s been quite the event, today” Ghira said softly, folding his hands behind his back.

“I don’t think I can, Dad” Blake sighed, glancing down at the glass in her hand, making the liquid swirl in it. “I just keep seeing…”

She closed her eyes, waving her hand in front of her face, her eyebrows furrowed.

“Seeing Yang tied, her face covered in blood” she murmured, her voice trembling, the glass she set on the windowsill clacking slightly.

She felt his hand on her back, large and warm, his thumb rubbing gently as she exhaled shakily.

“And I felt like I did, back at Beacon. Helpless. I-I was so afraid-”

“Blake” he gently interrupted her. “You helped her, today. You were really brave.”

She raised her amber eyes to her father, and he smiled, his eyes kind and warm, and Blake butted her head against his arm, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, holding her gently.

“I know she’s important to you, Blake. It must have been-”

“Dad” she interrupted him.

As he glanced down to her, frowning, she held her breath for a second, feeling her heart beating faster, remembering the conversation she had with her mother the night before.

_“Mom, I don’t know how to tell Dad” Blake murmured in her mother’s shoulders._

_Kali held her closer to her, her hands rubbing up and down her daughter’s back. After all the giddiness Blake had felt when she’d come home with Yang, it left room to nervousness, and Kali had tried to make her tell what was wrong. And now, Kali only sighed, kissing her daughter’s temple gently._

_“You know your father, Blake. He likes when you’re honest with him, and you also knows that he doesn’t like when people are beating around the bush.”_

_“Mom, I can’t just go up to him and say ‘Hey Dad, I’m gay and I may be in love with my partner’” Blake grumbled, rolling her eyes as she pulled away slightly, her ears folded on her head._

_“May be?” her mother asked, winking._

_“You know what I mean” she countered, now blushing slightly._

_“But, I just think you have to bring the subject, and tell him. It’s quite simple.”_

_“It’s not-” she interrupted herself, glancing away for a second, biting her lips._

_Kali furrowed her eyebrows, worried at Blake’s silence, and she pulled away only to push a stray lock behind one of her daughter’s human ears._

_“What’s wrong, honey?”_

_“Do you…” she hesitated again, biting her lip. “Do you think he’ll be mad?”_

_“Why would he be mad?” her mother exclaimed, blinking in surprise._

_Blake gave her a pointed look, then glanced away._

_“He’s kind of old fashioned, Mom, you know that” she muttered, her eyes cast down._

_“Blake” her mother called, cupping both her cheeks to make her look into her eyes. “Ghira loves you dearly, honey. He won’t give a damn if you like boys or if you like girls. You’re his little kitten all the same” she added with a smile, tapping Blake’s chin with her thumb twice. “Alright?”_

_Blake held her stare for a second, nodding slightly._

_“Alright.”_

“Dad, I’m-I’m gay” Blake finally blurted out.

Ghira stayed silent, and she risked a glance up at him, but he only blinked, rising his eyebrows.

“Oh” he said simply.

“And Yang is… I’m…” she trailed off, starting to toy with her fingers.

“ _Oh_ ” he said again, this time locking his eyes with his daughter.

He said nothing else, and Blake started to worry. He glanced outside, his eyebrows furrowed, his face unreadable, but he still held her close to him, his hand light on her shoulder. As the silence grew longer, Blake felt her nervousness making her hands start shaking, her shoulders tensing. But after a while, Ghira looked down, one side of his lips pulled up, and he raised his hand in front of him, waiting.

“Like father, like daughter” he finally said, his eyes sparkling. “You have great taste in women.”

Blake stared at him, taken aback, before glancing down at his hand, then looked up again. As a smile pulled her lips, a laugh bubbling in her throat, she clapped her hand with her father’s in a high-five, feeling the situation surreal.

“Not that I’m complaining” Ghira laughed gently “but I guess I understand why you never dated Sun.”

Blake rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms.

“You too? Why does everyone think I was supposed to date Sun? He’s a good friend, but that’s all, Dad.”

He huffed, smiling, and he looked at her. She was staring stubbornly outside, her ears flat on her head, pouting slightly.

“I guess that’s why you’re covering Yang like you do.”

She glared at her, her ears flattening even more, and he laughed heartily.

“I don’t!” she hissed.

“Oh, you should have seen yourself when I was carrying her. Then, try to convince me you’re not covering her” he laughed again, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

“I’ll check up on her” she muttered, turning on her heels.

“Covering” she heard her father say behind her back, but she ignored him, and he laughed softly.

With a smile pulling her lips, she walked up the hallway lazily, stopping in front of the blonde’s room, the door kept open showing that Yang was still unconscious, breathing slowly. After a second of hesitation, glancing towards her father’s office, she stepped in the room, walking to the bed, sitting on the edge.

Blake and her mother had washed the blonde’s face as best as they could, and the bruise on Yang’s jaw had tuned purple, the cut on her lip had stopped bleeding. Her eyes traveled down the blonde’s left arm, stopping at her wrist where an angry red bruise were, souvenirs of the too tight rope had held her up, earlier.

Blake leaned over, tucking a blonde lock behind Yang’s ear, her fingers brushing gently over her forehead, avoiding the cut, when Yang’s eyes opened wide, her prosthetic hand wrapping around Blake’s wrist and squeezed harshly. She tried to sit, but grimaced when she did, a grunt escaping her lips.

“Easy, Yang, it’s me!” Blake said, after blinking in surprise, gently pushing Yang’s shoulder to lay her back on the bed.

Yang blinked, glancing around quickly, recognising the guest room back at Blake’s home, and her eyes finally fell on Blake, the faunus smiling slightly. Yang released Blake’s wrist, laying back with a sigh, grimacing again.

“Sorry about that” she whispered, brushing her fingers on Blake’s wrist. “I was… kinda confused” she laughed humorlessly.

“It’s alright” Blake said back in the same hushed tone, brushing the blonde hair out of Yang’s face, the blonde closing her eyes with a sigh.

“How are you feeling?” the faunus asked, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.

Yang grunted, shifting.

“Terrible” the blonde answered. “Everything hurts.”

Blake hummed, stroking the blonde’s uninjured cheek.

“I’m sorry” she murmured. “I’m sorry it happened to you.”

“Nu-huh, Blake. Don’t apologise, it’s not your fault” the blonde frowned, her flesh hand reaching to grab Blake’s.

Blake opened her mouth, but when she saw Yang’s features sharpened, glaring a warning, she closed it, swallowing as she cast her eyes down on their hands, and thumbed the blonde’s knuckles.

“Baxter came to see you when you were out” Blake reported softly. “He was the one that told me you were in trouble. What happened?”

Yang sighed, squeezing Blake’s hand gently, sinking back in the pillow.

“I was just gathering what Kali wanted” she sighed. “The list. And Baxter saw me, and he walked with me, and we chatted, you know? And suddenly, a guy came out of nowhere and started yelling at me because I’m human.”

She raised her eyes to the sky, annoyed just by remembering it.

“Baxter tried to defend me. I think the guy was his dad” she sighed, shrugging one shoulder. “But that only seemed to make him angrier, and he said something like I had ‘corrupted’ his son, or something? And I tried to play it cool, ‘look I was just shopping, man’ but he kept on screaming, and at some point he grabbed my arm” she said, glancing down at her prosthetic. “He pulled on it really hard. It hurts like hell, Blake, I’m telling you. And I kinda pushed him back, but I guess I shouldn’t have done that, because everything everyone saw was me, a human, shoving a faunus in a stand hard enough for it to break.”

“Oh, dear” Blake murmured, her face darkening.

“Yeah, you can say that” the blonde chuckled humorlessly. “And, after that… it got chaotic fast, everyone was… screaming and yelling at me, someone threw rocks at me, and the guy I pushed shoved Baxter behind him, to ‘protect him from a dangerous and evil human’ and… then I guess someone hit my head? Because I just had that pain on the back of my head and everything goes black. But I woke up faster than they thought, I guess, because they were still carrying me to the pole they tied me to. I tried to get away, but…”

She shrugged helplessly, grimacing as she brushed her prosthetic fingers against the bruise on her jaw.

“Someone kicked me in the face when they threw me on the ground. And, well, pretty much everyone kicked me, at this point. That’s where most of my aura was drained, a good portion of the crowd was hitting me with everything they could. Then, the guy that yelled at me, Baxter’s dad, he picked me up with another man when I was too shaken up to fight back, and they tied me to the pole. I guess he was mad I still got some of my aura left. You know my stamina” Yang smiled without warmth at Blake, the faunus nodding sharply. “And they hit me again. And when my aura break, they let the crowd throw rocks at me, sticks and everything. I tried to break the rope, but I never got the chance to do it, every time they saw me struggle, they kept me ‘busy’” she said bitterly.

Blake stayed silent, her ears flat on her head. Somewhere in the house, she heard people talking, but she didn’t listened, focused entirely on Yang.

“That’s when I saw Baxter” the blonde resumed her story, her eyes still on their joined hands. “I looked at him and he seemed to understand that I was in trouble, because he left right after that. His dad had wanted him to stay and ‘see what real men do’. What does it even mean? Real men torture people, now?” she exclaimed, throwing a hand in the air in front of her, angry. “I hope the mother has more sense in her. A kid shouldn’t see this kind of violence, even _more_ if it’s one of their parents the cause of it.”

Yang was gritting her teeth angrily, her eyes flaring red, but her huffing and puffing made her grimace, her face livid.

“Yang, calm down, you’re going to pass out again” Blake reminded her, her eyebrows furrowed, resting her hands on the blonde’s shoulders to try and steady her back on the bed.

Beads of sweat had appeared on the blonde’s temple, and she relaxed, her eyes glazy and glancing around as Blake mumbled words of comfort.

“Dad took care of them” the faunus assured. “The two men were Baxter’s dad and uncle.”

“Let’s hope Bax won’t end up as stupid as his family. He’s a great kid. He deserve better” Yang muttered, closing her eyes, her eyebrows furrowed deeply.

And, after a deep sigh, the blonde cracked her eyes open, just enough to look at Blake.

“And then, you appear in front of me, badass and all, and save my butt.”

“Technically, I saved your ribs but I’m fine with your butt.”

Yang snorted, laughing, before yelping in pain, her prosthetic hand clutching the bandages on her ribs.

“Don’t make me laugh, Blake” she grunted, her head falling back on the pillow, panting slightly. “It’s killing me.”

“There are some painkillers the doctor left for you. Want some?”

“Yes please” Yang breathed.

And the faunus took the small bottle on the blonde’s nightstand, and filled a glass with water they had left in a pitcher. She held both the pill and the glass for Yang, the blonde swallowing quickly the medicine and downing the water in one go, grimacing when she had to straighten her back.

“I think I’m gonna take a nap” Yang mumbled, her eyebrows furrowed.

“Alright” Blake said softly, standing. “I’ll leave you alone.”

But before she walked away, Yang caught her hand.

“Could you stay until I fall asleep?”

“Of course” the faunus immediately answered, sitting down again.

“Thanks” Yang smiled, her eyes shutting.

Blake smiled too, her fingers entwining with Yang’s. The blonde’s breathing slowed, and deepened, and when Blake thought Yang was asleep, she stood, walking to the door silently, but at the door she stopped, hearing the soft voice of Yang.

“Will you be there when I woke up?”

Blake stared at her, frowning slightly, not understanding the question, and Yang lolled her head towards her, cracking her eyes open, filled with apprehension.

“I will never leave you again, Yang. Don’t worry.”

Yang smiled, closing her eyes, her face softening.

“Good” she murmured.


	5. Chapter 5

It was strange that it rained so soon after the thunderstorm. Rainy days in Menagerie were kind of rare. But Blake wasn’t about to complain. She just sat on the large windowsill of the large living room’s window, in the silence of the not yet awake house. Well, Kali was up, being the early riser of the house, and she was visibly surprised to see her daughter already up, alone in the living room. But she said nothing, only walking to Blake and gently hugged her without a word. After a soft kiss on top of her head, Kali cupping her cheek, tapping her chin gently, and she went to the kitchen, leaving Blake alone with her thoughts.

But Blake didn’t stay alone longer than that, because she could hear footsteps coming down the hallway. She glanced towards the sound, and Yang was there, leaning a hand on the doorway, a hand resting on her side as she sighed, and her eyes fell on Blake.

And she smiled. A smile so full of warmth that Blake felt her heart beating faster.

“Hey” Yang murmured, walking slowly to her.

“Hi. Why are you up? It’s still really early, and… you should rest” Blake whispered back, her eyebrows furrowing.

Yang gave her a pointed look, huffing.

“I’m sleeping since yesterday, Blake. I got restless.”

And her lilac eyes trailed on Blake for a second, then at the space left on the windowsill.

“Can I sit with you?”

Blake raised her eyebrows, pulling her knees to her chest to try and make enough room for Yang, which was clearly not enough.

“I don’t think we both fit” the faunus mumbled as she shifted, but Yang rested a hand on her knee, catching her attention.

“Of course we can fit, we just have to squish a little” she said, her lips pulled in a smile, her eyes filled with mischief.

And without giving time for Blake to say anything, she turned her back to her, sitting right between Blake’s legs as she leaned her back on the faunus’s chest.

“I’m gonna have to lean on you, because my ribs wants to kill me when I sit” the blonde grimaced, pulling her long legs in front of her.

Finally they settled, Yang’s head tucked under Blake’s chin, the blonde using the faunus’s thighs as armchairs, and the long legs of Yang were pulled up, but they were both siting on the windowsill, like Yang had said.

“Are you okay? Does it hurt?” Blake asked, waiting for Yang’s answer.

But the blonde ignored her question, waving a hand in front of her.

“Told you it could be done” Yang whispered victoriously, jerking her head back with a large smile to look at Blake.

Blake only huffed, her lips pulled in a soft smile, content to feel the blonde so close to her. Without asking, she started to slide her fingers in the blonde locks, massaging her scalp gently, and she heard Yang’s soft sigh, feeling her relax against her. They stayed silent like that, Yang comfortably sat against Blake, hearing her heartbeat against her ear, her eyes closed, while Blake looked outside, watching the raindrops make waves in the puddles she could see. After a soft exhale, Blake closed her eyes, leaning her head back, still massaging Yang’s scalp. But after a moment, though, Yang shifted, and Blake felt her look at her.

“Do you like the rain?” she heard the blonde ask in a hushed tone, as if to not startle her.

Blake blinked her eyes open slowly, glancing down, seeing wide lilac eyes staring at her, curious. Then, the faunus glanced outside, her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“I don’t really like when I’m outside in the rain, but… I like the sound of it. I like the smells. I like the cold wind blowing.”

“Why do you like it, though? I mean, it’s just rain” Yang asked, shrugging slightly.

Blake smiled, hesitating for a second, then reached her hand to the lock of the window and pushed it open, the cold breeze brushing over them, shivering slightly.

“Close your eyes” Blake ordered gently. “I want to show you why I like the rain.”

Yang smiled, chuckling quietly, but complied, closing her eyes. Blake glanced outside, a soft smile on her lips.

“Can you hear the sound of the rain on the roof?”

Yang snorted, raising one eyebrow, but kept her eyes closed.

“Of course I can. I can hear everything.”

“But can you only hear the raindrops on the roof?” Blake asked again, nudging her shoulder.

Then, blonde eyebrows furrowed, creating a crinkle between them. After a moment, Yang smiled.

“I can hear it.”

“Okay. Now, can you hear the drops on the puddle?”

Yang laughed softly, and after a moment, she nodded. Blake was still staring outside, taking in a deep breath.

“Can you smell the mud? The smell of the wetted wood of the porch? Can you smell the plants?”

Yang huffed again, but this time it was soft, a smile on her lips.

“I’m starting to understand why you like rain” she whispered.

And after a moment, after many deep breaths, she nodded.

“I can smell the mud and the wood, but maybe the plants are too far away.”

Blake hummed, her hands sliding down Yang’s arms, and her left hand entwined with Yang’s.

“Now can you feel the breeze on your skin?” she murmured, brushing the fingers of her right hand on Yang’s shoulder.

When she saw the goosebumps running on the blonde’s skin, she wondered if it was only because of the cold wind.

“I can” Yang answered, her voice shaky and slightly hoarse, and she cleared her throat quietly.

“Now mix the three. Hear, smell and feel. Can you do that?” Blake murmured again, right in Yang’s ear, and the fingers entwined with hers twitched slightly.

It took a moment, the wrinkle between Yang’s eyebrows deepening. The faunus leaned her cheek on the blonde head, closing her eyes. After a moment, Yang squeezed Blake’s fingers gently.

“I can do it” she murmured, her voice strangely distant.

“What does it make you feel?”

“It’s” she hesitated for a second, tilting her head to the side “calming. Soothing. You know?”

Blake chuckled softly, nuzzling in blonde hair.

“Then you know why I like the rain” she said quietly.

Yang’s eyes fluttered open, a soft smile on her lips as both of them stared outside, and she shifted, draping Blake’s arms around her shoulders. The rain didn’t seem to stop anytime soon, and Blake didn’t know how long they stayed just like that, content.

A moment of peace for the both of them.

After a while, Yang shifted, and she grunted as she did, the sound low and quiet as she tried to be discreet, but it caught Blake’s attention instantly.

“Are you okay? Does it hurt?” Blake asked again, worry scrunching her face as she pulled away.

“Oh, no, I’m fine, Blake it’s just-I guess I’m a little sore” Yang chuckled quietly, shifting again. “I didn’t lie when I said everything hurts.”

Blake hummed, shifting again, trying to support the blonde’s weight as best she could, making Yang roll her eyes with a smile. And the faunus brushed her fingers on the blonde’s forehead, her touch feather-like on the bandage of the cut, feeling Yang flinch.

“How’s the forehead? And, the head in general” Blake asked quietly, frowning at Yang’s reaction.

Yang’s cold, prosthetic hand grabbed her hand, pulling her away from the cut.

“Blake, just… I’m fine.”

“But you’re not” the faunus countered, angling her head so she could look at her. “You’re hurt, and-”

“And I don’t want to talk about it, okay?” Yang interrupted her. “Can we just… talk about the rain again?”

Blake hated how Yang’s hand was trembling in hers, usually so powerful and steady, and so she held it tighter in hers, nuzzling Yang’s hair again.

“Okay” she murmured against her head. “Alright. But I don’t know what to else say about rain.”

“Then tell me about something else you like.”

“What, you don’t know?” Blake joked, kissing her head gently.

“Yeah, well, besides books, rain, tea and me, not really” the blonde said, looking up with a small smile, winking. “You were a kinda private person, back at Beacon.”

 Blake grimaced, returning her eyes outside for a moment. It took a few seconds for her to answer, but Yang was willing to wait as long as it took, the hand in Blake’s pulling away to toy with one dark lock.

“I think-and this is going to sound oh, so cliché, so please don’t make fun of me- but I think that the thing I like the most is… Um, it’s your laugh” Blake finally answered, feeling her cheeks get warmer when she felt Yang look up and stare at her.

“Really?”

Instead of the cackling jokes she was sure Yang was about to unleash at her, the simple words, soft and filled with amazement, left her slightly taken aback, and she quickly glanced at the blonde, nodding.

“Why? I’m just laughing” the blonde frowned, slightly confused.

Blake shifted, biting her lip to try and word her thoughts correctly, swallowing.

“It’s, um… You know, one of the things I like about you is that you’re always true to yourself, and you don’t care if you get loud when you tell a story or a joke, you’re just having a good time, you know? And, it kind of shows when you laugh.”

She cleared her throat, shifting again, feeling Yang staring at her with attention, and she ran her tongue on her lips, resuming.

“When you laugh, it’s just…” she waved in the air, huffing. “You don’t care if it’s loud. You just don’t care at all, and you always laugh without holding back, because you’re having a good time, and every time I hear it, every time I hear you laugh, it makes me happy, and I smile like an idiot because I think it’s the most gorgeous thing in the world.”

“That is the cutest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Blake straightened her back suddenly, her ears perked up on her head as she felt her face go beet red, staring accusingly towards the kitchen, making Yang look at her in surprise.

“Mom what happened to my privacy?” Blake said through gritted teeth, avoiding stubbornly the widening lilac eyes that stared at her, then towards the kitchen.

Then Kali popped her head in the living room, a smile on her face.

“I’m really sorry” she said, not looking sorry at all. “I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation. But Dust, I can’t believe I thought you were straight all this time.”

As Blake glared daggers at her mother, feeling her entire being burning in embarrassment, Yang roared a laugh, finally understanding what was happening, and Kali’s smile inched larger, winking at her daughter before disappearing.

 

**** 

 

Even after what happened the day before, they still needed the supplies Yang was supposed to bring back. So, when the rain seemed to stop, Blake and Sun were the ones that went in town, with the list. As they made their way into town, the events of yesterday still fresh in their heads, they stayed silent, both lost in their thoughts. They separated, quickly gathering everything on the list, and in less than an hour, with the clouds rolling low in the sky, threatening for more rain, they made their way back.

“Hey Blake?” Sun said quietly, his tail curling behind him as he frowned.

Blake hummed questioningly, keeping her eyes on the ground to not step in a puddle.

“I, uh… I saw you and Yang on the beach, the other night, and-”

“We were just talking” she interrupted, feeling a blush creeping on her cheeks.

She heard Sun huff, and she glanced up quickly, seeing him looking at her pointedly.

“Talking. With your tongues” he said, raising his eyebrows with a cornered smile.

Blake felt a rush of heat on her face, and she bowed her head, trying to hide her face with her hair.

“I-”

“Look, what I’m trying to say” he interrupted her, grabbing her arm to make Blake look at him “is, I dunno. You could have told me you were into Yang. I’m your friend, Blake.”

Blake felt her ears droop, and she kept her eyes cast down, but when she felt Sun squeeze her arm gently, she looked up.

“I’m really happy for you, okay?” he smiled. “I just… I didn’t know you were into girls. I hate being the last one to know something.”

She sighed, toying with her fingers for a moment.

“Yes, well, it’s, um… When I saw Yang again, I guess you can say the obvious hit me in the face” she chuckled nervously.

“Wait. So how long you have a thing for her?” he asked, resuming their walk.

“I…” she sighed again, rubbing her fingers on her forehead. “I don’t know when it started, really, I just really liked when she was around, and it felt like a giant void when I left after Beacon fell, and-”

“Wait a second” Sun stopped her again, staring in her eyes. “You had a thing for her _before_?”

And Blake nodded silently, avoiding his eyes.

“How could you leave?” he whispered, shocked. “How could you leave her like that?”

“Sun-”

“I can’t believe this!”

“Sun, you know why I left” Blake spat out, her face hardening. “You know I had to, to protect my team, to protect _her._ Wouldn’t you do the same?”

He just stared at her, his jaw set, and after a few seconds, he glanced away, his features softening.

“We can’t stay here, Blake. That spy probably told him we were here, and after what happened with Yang in town...”

“I know” she breathed. “Let’s just wait until Yang is fully healed before we move out.”

“Where would we go?” he asked, looking back at her as he sighed.

Blake resumed their walking again, and he followed her. They were nearly at the house, now.

“Yang said that Ruby had reached Mistral” she said after a moment, looking up at Sun. “We could go there, and meet up with her.”

He raised his eyebrows, then smiled warmly, nodding.

“It’s gonna be nice to see little red again” he chuckled, still nodding. “Yeah. When Yang’s ready, let’s go to Mistral.”

 

**** 

 

The rest of the day passed, with all five of them stuck inside the house as the rain started pouring again. Yang insisted to help in the kitchen that night after her nap, and Blake could hear both the blonde and Kali laughing from the living room, where she played chess with her father, and Sun looked bored as he watched them. As she moved the pieces, she couldn’t help wondering what kind of player Yang was, and wanted to play with her one day.

As she was distracted, she lost three times in a row in record time.

Then, Sun took her place and she tucked herself on the corner of the couch with a good book she had left alone for too long. It didn’t took her long to fall in that kind of trance she liked, where she was in her bubble, forgetting the world around her for the sake of the words that danced in front of her eyes. At some point, she couldn’t hear the voices of her father and Sun, not even bothered by Sun’s sudden leave. Or when Yang sat beside her on the couch.

It was only when a soft sound, quiet, escaped the blonde’s lips that caught Blake’s attention through her isolation, and as she glanced up, she saw Yang grimace, her left hand pressing against her side. The faunus closed her book on her finger, straightening her back as she was about to talk, but before she could say anything, Kali entered the living room, stopping when she spotted Yang. And her features hardened, her fists resting on her hips as she stared accusingly at Yang.

“Yang, I told you to go rest.”

“I am resting” the blonde said back, waving at her sitting on the couch with raised eyebrows.

“You know I meant in your bed, young lady” Kali grounded her, walking to her and pulling on her flesh hand to make her stand. “Now go. You stood for too long, you have to take it easy.”

Yang let out a deep, exasperated sigh, but she stood anyway, knowing that Kali wouldn’t let go. After one look of her mother, Blake stood too, one of her hands set on the blonde’s back, guiding her gently as Yang complained.

“But I hate being left alone” she pouted, a perfect replica of Ruby’s.

“I can stay with you, if you want” Blake  proposed, chuckling quietly.

As Yang’s face passed from pouting to beaming, she saw Kali narrow her eyes.

“Just make sure she rest. Strap her to the bed if you have to.”

Blake closed her eyes as if she was pained at that, and without looking, she raised her hand in front of Yang.

“Don’t. Say. A word. Keep it to yourself.” The faunus whispered, opening her eyes to see the glint of mischief in lilac eyes, and the blonde raised her hands in defeat, staying silent.

Then they made their way to Yang’s room, leaving Kali still staring at their back, and just before Blake closed the door behind her, she heard her mother’s words.

“If I have doubts about what you two are doing, I’ll send your father.”

“Oh my Dust, Mom, this is so unnecessary _and_ uncalled for” Blake complained quietly, raising her eyes to the sky as a blush crept on her cheeks.

She only heard Kali laugh somewhere in the house, and she shook her head, sighing.

 

**** 

 

Kali came knocking at the door about an hour later, telling them that dinner was ready, but as the blonde snored lightly, Blake told her mother they would eat later, and she left them alone. She was just glad that Yang was resting. Blake, for her part, was sitting beside the sleeping blonde with her book, on Yang’s left side. The sun had set, and Blake had turned on the lamp on the nightstand, and she didn’t know how long Yang slept, until she felt something brush against the side of her thigh, and she glanced down, seeing Yang looking at her.

Blake closed her book silently, smiling, and Yang mirrored it, her lips pulling in a soft smile that made her squint her eyes a bit. Without a word, the faunus set her book aside on the nightstand, never leaving the blonde’s eyes, and she lowered herself until she was lying beside Yang, her hand finding Yang’s.

“You know, I could get used to that” the blonde murmured, squeezing Blake’s fingers in her hand.

“To what?”

“To you, being the first thing I see when I wake up” Yang answered, her smiled slightly larger.

Blake huffed, smiling, nuzzling the blonde’s shoulder as she snuggled closer. She felt Yang poke her forehead with her nose, and she looked up, locking her eyes with Yang, her eyes so soft and warm and… She glanced down at the blonde’s lips, seeing the angry cut that split her lower lip, still slightly swollen, and swallowed.

“I would kiss you right now” Blake started, bringing her eyes back to Yang’s, “but I don’t want to worsen the cut.”

Yang snorted, rolling her eyes.

“Who cares about that?”

“You, maybe?” Blake answered, raising a single eyebrow. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Yang pouted for a few seconds, her eyes cast down, then she looked back up, her eyes narrowed slightly.

“Even if it’s really soft?” she asked, her voice hushed as if she was sharing a secret.

Amber eyes glanced down again as Blake bit her lip, hesitating, and came back to lock with lilac ones.

“Alright. If you insist” she murmured, moving closer as Yang’s smile grew larger, making the cut threatening to open again.

Yang was the one who leaned in first, her lips brushing against Blake’s sending a jolt through her body by that single contact. After a second, both looking into each other’s eyes, Blake cupped Yang’s cheek as she leaned in, closing her eyes. Her kisses were soft and light as a feather, but Yang kept pressing on, and she pulled Blake closer, hearing the faunus’s breath catch in her throat. But then she pulled away with a frustrated grunt, her fingers swabbing at the cut on her lip.

“Who thought it would be a good idea to kick me in the face?” she grumbled, checking her fingers for blood. “Now I can’t even kiss my girlfriend properly.”

As Yang sat on the bed, her hand patting blindly beside her on the nightstand to find a tissue, grumbling and cursing under her breath, Blake froze, the words sinking in, and a slow, growing grin appeared on her lips, until Yang noticed it.

“You alright?” she asked, chuckling quietly at her antics.

“You said-” Blake started, interrupted by her giggles, “You called me your girlfriend.”

“That’s because you are… right? The blonde added, suddenly looking worried as she shifted to better look at her.

“Yes, yes it’s just…”

She was interrupted by more giggles, and hid her face in her hands as she curled on herself.

“You’re my girlfriend. Yang Xiao Long is my girlfriend!”

“Oh my goodness, Blake, you are the cutest thing ever!” she heard Yang laugh as she hugged the faunus.

Blake felt giddy again, enveloped in warmth and Yang’s scent, and her giggles were stifled by the blonde’s shoulder as Yang’s warm laugh was right in her ear, making her heart beat faster. But after a moment, she propped herself on her elbow, looking down at Yang in worry.

“Do you think Ruby will be okay? With us, I mean?”

Yang snorted, squeezing her hand with a small smile.

“Who do you think I told about my crush on my amazing partner? And, I’m pretty sure Weiss will just high-five me for finally having the guts to tell you.”

“Wait, you told Weiss too?” Blake asked in disbelief, her eyebrows raised high on her forehead.

“I told Ruby; Weiss noticed” Yang answered. “She cornered me one day and made me spill. She can be quite persuasive when she wants, even though she was kinda extra about it.”

Blake chuckled quietly, nodding. She let out a soft breath as she settled back on the bed, toying with Yang’s fingers.

“I miss her” Blake whispered, sighing. “I miss them.”

She felt Yang nuzzle her hair, kissing her forehead gently.

“I miss them too. I just hope they’re both okay.”

The faunus hummed, nodding slightly. Then she took a deep breath, glancing up to lock her eyes with Yang’s.

“I talked to Sun” she started slowly, quietly. “We can’t stay here. We’ll wait until you’re healed, but after that, we’ll have to move. I- We stayed too long here.”

She cleared her throat, glancing down for a second.

“I don’t want anything to happen to my parents. But, I remembered you said Ruby was in Mistral…”

Yang was nodding in acknowledgment, understanding the situation, but when Blake trailed off, she smiled, her eyes lighting up.

“We could meet up with her?” she asked, almost breathless.

“Do you think she’s still there?” the faunus asked, frowning slightly.

Yang’s smile wavered for a second, and she quickly sat on the bed, then reached her hand in one of her coat’s pocket that was hanging on the back of the nearby chair, and she pulled out an envelope, before settling back with a sigh.

“Yeah. She left me the address of where they live, and they are going to speak to the headmaster of Haven academy” she told, unfolding the piece of paper and pulling out the letter.

Just seeing Ruby’s handwriting made Blake smile, and she glanced up at Yang, pointing at the letter, asking silently. The blonde gave it to her, letting Blake read the last letter her team leader wrote to her sister.

“I’m gonna write her something” Yang nodded as she sat, her face determined. “Tell her we’re coming. I just hope it will reach her.”

Blake hummed absently, already reading the letter as Yang stepped to the desk, sitting in the chair with a sigh and pulled a sheet and a pen in front of her from her bag. Blake sat slowly, leaning her back on the headboard, a soft gasp escaping her lips.

“What happened to you, Ruby” she murmured, seeing in the corner of her eye that Yang looked towards her.

Soon after, she finished reading, her fingers brushing over the two spots where the ink was smudged, and brought the paper to her chest, hearing Yang push back her chair.

“She cried while writing this, Yang” she said quietly, looking up into lilac, her eyes welling up.

Yang gave her a small smile as she sat, taking Blake’s hand in hers.

“I know” she said in a hushed voice, thumbing Blake’s knuckles. “I cried when I read it, the first time.”

“I’m going to give her a giant hug, when I see her” Blake’s voice was trembling and she sniffled.

 

**** 

 

A nightmare found her in her sleep, that night. Just like it happened so many times before. Again, she was chased by a tall, faceless shadow, with glowing red blade and hair, but after a moment of running away, she tripped, falling on her knees and hands. And when she wanted to stand and run again, something pulled her hands up above her head, and she couldn’t move. She glanced around, seeing the crowd of shadows massing around her, pulling on the invisible ropes that tied her hands as the tall, red haired shadow stood in front of her. And as she was about to kick it, yelling profanities at this dark figure, it raised its arms, the glowing blade shining in the darkness, and it fell. It was aiming straight to her head, and she gritted her teeth, meeting her fate head on, but as the hit was about to land, a raven flew between them with a flash, as quick as lightning, and the blade sank into her right arm.

Yang sat up in her bed, a scream just behind her lips, feeling her heart hammering in her chest as her ribs stabbed her in pain. She felt sweat snake down to her jaw, and she wiped it with the back of her left hand, seeing it tremble. She sat at the edge of the bed, pushing to covers aside, trying to calm her breathing, still feeling her heart pounding against her ribcage. After many deep breaths, she stood and walked to the window, opening it quickly, leaning on the windowsill as she took several gulps of fresh air. She closed her eyes, leaning her head against the frame of the window, closing her hands into tight fists.

But she opened her eyes after a few seconds, staring at her right, prosthetic hand. She gritted her teeth, squeezing her fists so hard, her left was trembling. But her right didn’t move an inch. Steady.

Dead.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t feel anything.

A wave of anger flared into her entire being, and she unclipped her right arm quickly, raising it into the air and was about to throw it outside when she stopped, her eyes burning red, her lips twisted, her breath coming in short bursts.

“I can’t do that” she said through gritted teeth. “I need it. I can’t throw it away.”

She leaned heavily on her left fist as she brought the prosthetic arm down on the windowsill, still trying to control her impulse to just try and destroy the thing. She needed to calm down. She needed to stop her heart from pounding in her ears.

If she was being honest, she just needed to cry.

She leaned her head on the frame of the window with a little more force than necessary, this time hissing when it hurt the cut on her forehead. She closed her eyes, feeling them burning behind her eyelids, and she turned on her heels, tossing the yellow and black arm on the bed as she walked out of the room. She knew Blake’s was the one right in front of her, and she opened the door without knocking, not bothering to close it behind her, and she saw the faunus stir in her sleep when she heard the door open. The blonde didn’t give her time to fully understand what was happening and just slipped under the covers, and Blake jumped in surprise, realising that Yang was there.

“Yang, what-” Blake started, blinking the sleep away from her eyes, but Yang wrapped her arm around her waist, pulling her close.

When the blonde glanced up, Blake noticed the flaming red eyes, how Yang had clenched her jaw. But she couldn’t believe it when she felt Yang shake against her.

“What happened?” the faunus asked, her voice low and soft as she brushed her fingers on the blonde’s cheek.

Yang stayed silent, only holding Blake closer so she could hide her face in her neck. But when she heard the shuddering breath Yang took, Blake kissed the blonde’s temple, holding the tall blonde in her arms, petting her hair gently.

Seeing Yang cry was a strange thing to see, but she understood. She had noticed the absence of the prosthetic. She knew Yang had still trouble adjusting to it. She saw her many times touching something with her right hand, then doing a double take with her left as she gritted her teeth. She saw the blonde break things accidently because she put too much pressure with her prosthetic. She knew Yang was still mourning her arm, as strange as it sounded.

And so she let the blonde cry, holding her as close as she could, sliding her fingers into the long golden locks, always so soft to the touch. She guessed it was a dream. It was still night time, so it was plausible. She waited until she could hear only sniffles, Yang’s shoulders trembling slightly, Yang holding her as close as before, then Blake took a deep breath, kissing Yang’s temple again, and let a soft, deep sound rattle through her chest. She heard Yang stop sniffling for a second, and she felt the blonde pull away gently, just enough so she could look into half-closed amber eyes.

“You’re purring” Yang stated, her eyes open wide, now back to their natural lilac.

Blake nodded, the rumbling in her chest lowering for a moment as she took a breath.

“If it can make you feel better” she answered, her voice low and deep, the words sounding strange and foreign as the purr from her chest mixed with her voice.

Yang could see her smile in the darkness, and she felt her eyes prickle again. She tucked her head under Blake’s chin, her ear against the faunus’s chest as the rumble steadied, taking the pattern of Blake’s breathing. After a moment, Yang closed her eyes, sighing.

“Stay with me forever” she murmured.

And the purr against her ear got so much louder.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so, so, so sorry for the wait hahaha i uh. i got sucked. in life. and video games.
> 
> anyway! I just wanted to say that I still don't know how long this fic will be, because i just keep adding to it BUT i know how this ends!
> 
> My guess is two, maybe three more chapters. Thank you for reading! And I hope you like it!

She woke up, feeling awkward as she felt like she was overheating, and without opening her eyes, she kicked the blankets off of her. When she heard a soft murmur, someone sighing beside her, she opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was Blake beside her, turning her back to her, curled up in the large ray of sun falling on the bed. The black, tufted fur of her cat ears looked like it was shining, sleek, as one ear flicked lazily. She had pushed the blankets aside, her arms extended in front of her, her hair fanning all around her head. Blake’s bed was bigger than the one in the guest room, she noticed.

She glanced outside, and as far as she could see, there was blue, with not a trace of cloud. But it was still early in the morning, she realised, hearing a silent creaking from the hallway, and as she glanced towards the door, she remembered she didn’t close the it the night before, and she was met by surprised amber eyes as Kali stared at her, her eyebrows raised.

Yang waved at her, a small smile on her lips. It must not have looked convincing, because Kali frowned, leaning a hand on the doorway as she glanced at Blake.

“Are you alright?” she asked, whispering.

The blonde grimaced slightly, patting her ribs with her left hand but nodded silently. The faunus nodded slowly, her eyes locked with her, and glanced again at Blake.

“It’s still quite early, honey. Go back to sleep.”

Kali smiled warmly at her, patting the doorframe twice before leaning in the room to close the door silently. Yang stared at it, hearing the quiet footsteps become distant.

Honey.

Only her father called her that.

She lolled her head to Blake, the faunus’s breathing was slow and deep, and after a second of hesitation, she leaned closer, ghosting a kiss on Blake’s nape before silently standing, tip toeing out of the room, closing the door behind her. As she was about to walk down the hallway, her eyes caught the black and yellow arm, lying on her bed, the only thing Yang could see in her room through the door inched open. She stared at it, her left hand balling into a fist, feeling her nails sink into her palm, and turned away.

Kali heard her before she arrived, the faunus being comfortably sat in the living room, a book on her lap right beside the window, and she looked up at the blonde when she entered the room. Yang saw her amber eyes lingering on the piece of metal just under her right shoulder, but she said nothing, only looking up as Yang tried to smile.

“Is something wrong, honey?” Kali asked softly, setting her book aside as she stood, her face scrunching up in worry.

The blonde huffed, running her hand in her hair, trying to control her breathing.

“Can I have a hug?” Yang asked, her voice small and trembling, and something in Kali’s eyes passed, her features softening.

“Of course you can” the older woman murmured, walking to her as she pulled the tall blonde in her arms, holding her close.

Kali didn’t ask questions. She just held Yang, petting her head, her hand rubbing up and down her back. The blonde closed her eyes, her hand clutching the clothes on Kali’s back, but she didn’t cry. The faunus rocked them gently from side to side, never stopping her comforting touches, and Yang could remember, very faintly, of a silver eyed woman smiling down at her, holding her just like that. And in the distance, she could hear a voice, _her_ voice, calling her name, followed by a soft ‘honey’.

It felt like a lifetime ago.

She took a sharp breath, pulling away gently, her smile small but sincere, this time. Kali’s hand, the one petting her head, fell on the blonde’s shoulder, and she squeezed it for a second.

“Thank you. I needed that” Yang whispered, clearing her throat.

Kali bowed her head with a soft smile, her hand falling down the blonde’s arm to hold her hand, her eyes glancing again to the piece of metal under Yang’s right shoulder.

“Rough night?”

The blonde sighed, her shoulders slouching, thinking about what she could say.

“Yeah, you can say that” she breathed, her eyes cast down.

She felt Kali squeeze her fingers as the faunus hummed, and after a moment, she let go, clearing her throat quietly, gaining Yang’s attention.

“Do you see the leather album on the second bottom shelf, the brown one?” she asked as she started walking away. “Bring it in the kitchen. Pretty sure it will cheer you up.”

She winked before exiting the room, and Yang turned towards the bookcase, spotting the large leather spine. As she made her way to the kitchen, she opened it, curious, and stopped at the kitchen’s doorway, glancing up at the faunus with a smile.

“Baby Blake!”

“Told you it would cheer you up” Kali laughed softly. “We’ll go through them as I make breakfast. Waffles?”

Yang set the album on the island, leaning her hip against it as she pinched her lips for a few seconds, looking up with a smile.

“How about pancakes?”

 

**** 

 

“I can’t believe you betrayed me like that, _Mother_ ” Blake mumbled, embarrassment coloring her cheeks as she was sitting on a stool, her arms crossed.

Kali chuckled in sync with Yang, patting her daughter right between her folded ears as Blake glared daggers at her mother.

“Don’t say that, honey, Yang has been cooing at every picture!” Kali smoothly said, winking.

Ghira tried to hide his chuckle behind his fist, clearing his throat when his daughter glared daggers at him, too.

“But you were such a cute baby, Blake!” Yang beamed, paging through the album, then pointed to one picture. “This one’s my favorite, though. It kinda reminds me of one of Ruby’s pictures.”

Blake raised an eyebrow, leaning over to see which one the blonde was talking about as Yang pulled her scroll from her shorts pocket, swiping at the screen with a frown. Then Blake smiled fondly, pulling the album closer to her.

“I remember that one” she said, her eyes moving on the image. “It was at that beach, just beside the house, you know where we…” she glanced up at Yang, her pause making the blonde smirk and her mother furrow her eyebrows, “talked.”

The poised tone she took made Sun snort and Yang chuckle, but before her mother could ask anything, she resumed.

“It was sunny” she recalled. “And I was collecting shells. Because you love the purple ones” she smiled at her father, and he huffed quietly, smiling. “I remember the sand burning my feet, but I would run to the water when it was too hot. I remember that bathing suit. It was the same purple as the shells. I remember we made this big sand castle. Didn’t we take a picture of it, Dad?”

He hummed in his mug, nodding, motioning for her to turn the page. There was tiny Blake and younger Ghira, standing proudly beside a sand castle taller than the young faunus.

“That’s a big sand castle” Sun blinked, leaning closer to the picture. “How much time did it take?”

Blake and Ghira glanced at each other, shrugging at the same time, but Kali was still staring at the picture, her lips pinched and her eyebrows furrowed as she thought about it.

“A couple hours, at least. Blake was covered in sunburns, even with sunscreen on. Do you remember how devastated you were when the tide washed it away?” she asked her daughter.

Blake shook her head, and her parents shared a glance, both of them chuckling.

“You cried for a whole week.”

“There it is!” Yang cheered, quickly walking beside Blake to show her something on her scroll.

It was a picture of a very young Ruby, standing on a beach of pale sand and pebble, the sun setting as the young girl held a very large rock, smooth and sleek, in her hands triumphantly. Her silver eyes were shining above her sun kissed cheeks, her smile large, revealing the spots where teeth had fallen.

“She liked to collect the biggest pebbles” Yang chuckled, looking down warmly at the picture.

“That’s your sister?” Kali asked, leaning over the counter to look in synch with Sun and Ghira.

“Did you save this picture because you liked it, or you carry all of them in your scroll?” Blake asked, more teasing than anything else.

“Oh, I have all the pictures in it” the blonde answered casually, angling the device so everyone could see it better, Kali making a soft sound as a smile pulled her lips. “I like to look at them.”

“Can you show me pictures of you?” Blake asked, leaning her elbows on the island.

And the blonde froze, just a second, but she noticed it. She saw the lilac eyes glance down, before looking back at the device in her hand.

“Um… I think there’s one or two, but… I’ve always been the one taking the pictures instead of being the subject” she laughed softly.

“Can I go through it?” Blake asked, her voice soft, her fingers brushing against Yang’s hand.

And the smile reappeared on the blonde’s lips, handing her the device.

“Of course! Meanwhile, I’ll get to work” she winked, turning her back to them, facing the stove.

Sun pulled his stool closer to Blake, and Kali walked around the island, sitting beside Blake, Ghira looking from afar at them. The first pictures showed a very young Ruby in various situations, but she always had a shine in her eyes and a large smile on her lips. There were a few that Yang was on them, and she was always hugging or carrying her little sister with a large smile, a sly look in her bright lilac eyes. Sometimes, there was a tall blond man with Ruby, or with them, and Blake recognised the warm smile on the man’s lips.

“You have your father’s smile” Blake noted as she looked up, seeing Yang look over her shoulder with the exact same smile.

She swiped a few more before stopping, her smile faltering. On the picture, there was a woman with long, dark hair, waving slightly, smiling at the camera while younger Ruby and Yang were sitting on her lap, both of them smiling largely as they squints their eyes. The woman had bright silver eyes, and the easy smile Ruby always have, as she was holding both girls close to her.

Blake felt Sun shift beside her, and he pointed at the picture.

“She looks like Ruby.”

“Oh yeah, it’s Summer, Ruby’s mom” Yang said casually. “It was taken a few days before she died.”

“How do you know which picture we’re looking at?” the monkey faunus asked, frowning.

Yang huffed, stopped fiddling with the spatula for a second, turning her head but not looking over her shoulder at them.

“It’s the only picture we have of her.”

And she resumed what she was doing, toying with the spatula, making it spin in her hand.

After that, the pictures were often blurry, framed strangely, and it was only Ruby. No more blond man, and no more Yang, too. And the dates between the pictures were farther apart, too. Blake remembered that Yang had said her father had ‘shut down’ after Summer’s death, and realized that the pictures were taken by Yang, now. But, in the last two pictures, Yang was in it, for the pictures being selfies. One of them was the sisters in what seemed like an airship, grinning widely as both showed a thumb up, probably on their way to Beacon.

The last one was a selfie Yang took of the team, the four of them making silly faces, and even Weiss had played along. Amber eyes glanced at the top of the screen, at the name of the folder.

 _Family_.

“Yang?” Blake called softly.

The blonde looked over her shoulder, and the faunus turned the device so she could see the picture, and a fond smile pulled her lips.

“Remind me to print it, so I can have it too.”

 

**** 

 

“Look, all I’m saying is your pancakes are good, but they don’t beat Ren’s.”

Blake hid behind her book, avoiding the giant pout Yang was throwing at her as Kali and Sun laughed.

“Aww Blake, give some credits to the cook, I made them single _handedly_!”

Blake let her book fall on her lap, her smile vanishing as she raised her eyes to the sky, but when she heard her father laugh, she closed her eyes, sighing deeply.

“I like her” he whispered to Kali, still struggling to keep his laughter in check.

“Don’t encourage her, Dad” Blake grunted.

Yang laughed heartily, making Blake smile as she tried to find the page she was at in her book. Kali had made some tea after breakfast, and Blake realised it was the first time they really had breakfast together. Now, they were all in the living room, chatting lightly, and Ghira pulled out the chessboard. When Blake declined, Yang happily joined the man for a game, and the faunus discreetly kept her attention on the game.

Turns out, Yang was more of a strategist than she first thought, but the blonde still lost. After three games, Ghira explaining some strategy to the blonde, Yang traded her place to Kali.

Blake smiled. Even if her father would never admit it, she knew Ghira always let Kali win.

Tired of leaning on her elbows to look at the game, Yang settled back against Blake’s side, her head resting on the faunus’s shoulder as she stared outside. Blake had the time to read four chapters before she could feel Yang shift and twitch, sighing every few seconds. Blake closed her book, glancing outside.

“Do you want to take a walk? Not far, just around the house.”

Yang almost jumped to her feet, nodding vehemently as she ran to her room to change, and Blake rolled her eyes. Yang just couldn’t do nothing all day. Blake went to her room to change too, and when she walked out, Yang was pacing in the living room, her coat already on, and she had put on her prosthetic arm back. But as they were about to walk out, Kali’s voice rose.

“Honey?”

Blake, Ghira, Sun and Yang looked at her in synch. Kali had the tendency to call all of them the same way. But her amber eyes stared at Yang, then at Blake, smiling.

“Be careful, and don’t go too far.”

Yang huffed, but still nodded as she stepped out on the porch, Blake following her. The blonde stopped at the foot of the few stairs, closing her eyes as she let the sun warm her skin. Blake stood beside her, doing the same, her eyes half-closed. Then, she felt a large, calloused hand slip in hers, and she glanced to the side, smiling, Yang winking at her. They walked lazily, hand in hand, farther from the house but not too much. They went to the small beach where they danced and kissed, and Blake left Yang’s hand for a few seconds, picking something up from the sand and showing a purple shell to the blonde.

They had walked all the side of the beach and were slowly making their way back, until Yang slightly tugged at Blake’s hand, catching the faunus’s attention.

“I uh… I had a nightmare yesterday” she started, sighing.

Blake nodded, squeezing her hand gently to encourage her.

“I thought I wouldn’t have this kind of nightmare again” the blonde said quietly. “I thought I was fine.”

She raised her right hand in front of her, balling into a fist, Blake hearing the quiet clanking of the moving panels.

“What was it about?” the faunus asked.

It took a moment before Yang spoke, the blonde kicking a few rocks hiding under the sand.

“Adam. And, um… what happened in town” she added, patting her ribs with her prosthetic.

Blake stopped, pulling Yang with her, but the blonde continued.

“It was kinda strange, though. It wasn’t as usual. A raven flew in before he could cut my head in two, and I was tied to a pillar. People were watching.”

Blake suddenly felt her ears flicker to her right, and she narrowed her eyes, trying to identify what had caught her attention like that.

“I’m sorry, I… I thought I heard something” Blake mumbled, returning her attention to Yang.

The blonde shrugged, a small smile pulling her lips.

“It’s fine. I wasn’t going to give you a full report with all the analysis of my nightmare, anyway” she huffed, resuming her walk, pulling Blake with her.

But Blake stopped again, making Yang raise her eyebrows in surprise.

This time, both her ears jerked back, and she turned her head to her right, narrowing her eyes, trying to see in the distance what that sound was.

“Blake?”

She glanced at Yang quickly, seeing the blonde’s worried face as she stepped closer, following Blake’s gaze.

“I thought I heard someone screaming” the faunus said quickly, her ears perked on her head.

“Really? Do you want me to get some help?” Yang instantly stepped on the side, ready to run if Blake asked her to.

“No… I don’t think it’s going to be necessary. It doesn’t look like they’re many…”

And she started walking towards the sound, Yang in tow. After a few seconds of silence, she heard it again, this time clearer as the breeze carried the voice.

“I think it’s a child” Blake reported.

“A child?” the blonde asked, walking faster.

“Their calling for help!”

Yang started jogging, Blake following her, her ears standing tall on her head. And as they got closer, Blake stopped suddenly, glancing frantically around, trying to find where the child was.

“It’s Baxter!”

Yang started calling him, using her hands as a voice-over. After a few seconds, they neared his location, and he seemed to recognise the voice.

“Yang?” Blake heard him sniffle.

“In the trees, he’s in a tree” Blake told the blonde, looking up, searching the few trees that had branches.

And she quickly spotted him, his dark red hair standing out with the green leaves.

“Hey, little man” Yang smiled, slightly out of breath. “What’s the matter?”

They couldn’t see him properly, for he was on the highest branch of the tree and he wasn’t facing them, but he spoke loud enough for them to hear.

“I’m s-s-stuck” he stammered, his voice trembling. “H-help me, please.”

Yang glanced at Blake as he sobbed, the blonde’s face scrunched up in worry.

“I can’t climb, you go” she pressed her, pushing her towards the tree.

Blake used her shadows to climb quickly to the top, and she stopped in front of the boy, her feet propped on two thick branches, her left hand gripping a third to make her steady, so she had her right to help the boy. Baxter had wrapped her arms and legs around the trunk, sitting on a thin branch that was bending under his weight, his cheek pressed painfully against the bark, and he kept his eyes closed, his cheeks damp with tears, making his scales shine.

“Hey there” Blake said softly, and he opened his vibrant green eyes, a big sob racking his chest. “Can you reach my neck?”

“Be gentle, he’s terrified!” Yang said from the foot of the tree, looking up at them with worry.

“I know, Yang” Blake sighed, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. “So, can you reach my neck?” she asked again, angling her head so he could look at her.

He swallowed, and she saw his arms loosen slightly around the trunk, but he glanced down, and he pressed himself desperately against the trunk again, his breath quickening as he sobbed again.

“I can’t, I can’t I’m stuck Blake I want to get down but I’m stuck!” he cried, starting to panic, but Blake set a gentle hand on his back.

“It’s going to be alright, Baxter, just look at me. Okay?”

He sniffled, his eyes glancing up at her, and after a moment, he nodded.

“Okay” he weakly said, taking in a shuddering breath.

“Okay” Blake said softly again. “I’m going to get closer so you can hang onto me, okay? Put your arms around my neck.”

After leaning closer, making sure she was steady, she helped the boy loop his arms around her, squeezing so much in fear that he was almost strangling her.

“I got you, Bax, don’t worry” Blake gently murmured in his ear, patting his back for a second.

He wrapped his legs around her waist tightly, locking his ankles together as he buried his face in her neck. She asked him if he could climb to her back, but he shook his head, on the verge of tears, and so she didn’t insist. But she never used her semblance while carrying someone, and now was not the best time to try, so she climbed down the tree the old fashion way.

“Almost there” Blake heard Yang’s anxious voice, knowing without needing to look that the blonde was pacing.

She stopped for a few seconds, catching her breath. Baxter wasn’t really heavy, but climbing trees wasn’t really her forte, much less with a child strapped to her. She heard Yang call to her, asking if she was alright. After answering, Blake continued to climb down, feeling Yang’s stare on her. She heard Yang’s voice again, but she ignored her, focused. The branches were thin, now, and she had to be quick, staying too long on one would break it. This would have been perfect for Yang; the blonde being more muscular, it wouldn’t have drained her like it did to Blake, and as she thought that, a branch broke from under her foot, and she slipped, the faunus letting out a big curse.

But as she felt her boot scratch against the bark, trying to find purchase, she felt a solid hand on her back. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing Yang standing on tip toes, ready to catch her if she fell, but seeing her so close meant she could just jump down.

She landed heavily, falling sit, her coat fanning around, a cloud of dust rising as Yang kneeled beside her, wrapping both of them in a hug while Blake tried to catch her breath.

“It’s alright, now” the faunus breathed, patting the boy’s back. “We’re down.”

But he didn’t move, he just started to cry softly in her neck. Yang rubbed his back, cooing words softly for him to get off Blake.

“Come on, sweetheart, you’re safe, now.”

But he was still glued to her, no matter what they said. After a deep sigh, the faunus leaned back on her hands, glancing at the dark red head against her chest.

“Why did you climb in the tree, Bax?”

She felt his hands clench into fists against her neck, and his frail shoulders shook.

“I thought a cat got stuck. I wanted to help, but it was me that got stuck.”

Blake hummed, straightening her back, patting his back gently.

“Do you want to get down?”

He shook his head, holding on tighter. Blake shared a glance with Yang, sighing deeply.

“We need to calm him down” Yang mouthed, trying to be silent.

“How do I do that?” Blake silently said back, throwing her hands in the air.

But Yang held her hands helplessly in the air in front of her as she shrugged, her face scrunching up in worry. Blake puffed her cheeks, exhaling loudly as her eyes trailed around them. They were close to the house, now. She could see her bedroom’s window, and the tall palm trees right in front of her mother’s office, and the hammock swinging slightly in the breeze-

Wait a second.

“Do you like hammocks, Bax?” Blake asked, trying to stand, accepting Yang’s hand as the blonde pulled her to her feet.

She felt the boy nod, sniffling loudly, and she closed her eyes, trying not to think about her coat as she started walking towards the palm trees.

“Do you want to take a nap? Because I do.”

And after a moment, he nodded again, his arms relaxing slightly, and Blake hefted him higher so she could hold him better.

Blake always liked that hammock. It was so big, she could fit with her father without fearing it would break or they would fall, and she knew the three of them would easily fit. Plus, it wasn’t directly under the sun, the tall leaves of the palm trees shielding it nicely. She let Yang first, then she settled beside the blonde, trying not to crush her, and Baxter curled on top of her, and with the room, Yang could rest her head in the crook of Blake’s shoulder.

She already felt her eyelids heavy, but Baxter was still tense against her. So, she let one leg dangle from the edge of the hammock, pushing them gently so they could swing.

“You like cats, Bax?” she asked the boy, her voice tired.

She felt him nod, still silent.

“Do you like when they purr?”

Now, his nod was a little more energetic, and she saw Yang widening her eyes in the corner of her eyes.

“Would it make you feel better if you could hear a cat purr?”

And he nodded again, shifting slightly. Blake glanced to the side, winking at Yang, and took a deep breath, the soft rumbling coming from her chest loud enough so Yang could hear it, too. Baxter straightened his head in a jolt, staring up at her with wide, amazed eyes, and Blake smiled, feeling somewhat cocky. He smiled, sniffling, and Yang thumbed his cheeks, wiping the tears away gently, before they settled back, gently swinging, lulled by the wind blowing and Blake purring softly.

 

**** 

 

Kali walked in her office, grunting. It was such a nice day today, not too hot and sunny, but she was stuck inside. She had a report to finish, and she was wandering the house in search of motivation. She rubbed her temples as she walked to the window, sighing deeply. The tall trunks of the palm trees were swinging slowly in the breeze, and she caught something in the corner of her eye. She glanced to the hammock, seeing Blake and Yang swinging in it. But as she looked longer, she noticed a boy with dark red hair squished in the middle, the three of them sleeping, Blake’s leg dangling off.

Kali raised her eyebrows high on her forehead. Blake wasn’t really at ease with kids. And seeing them now, Kali thought that it was maybe an illusion. But even after blinking a few times and narrowing her eyes, the boy was still there, and she even noticed that Blake’s arm was around him. After a moment of thinking, she smiled a lopsided smile, feeling a little sly.

“Sun!” she called, walking to the hallway towards the living room. “I may have a task for you…”

 

**** 

 

She woke up slowly, feeling a soft kiss on her temple, then someone nuzzling in her hair, and it smelled of citrus and gunpowder, with a slight smell of dust and sun, and she smiled, her eyes fluttering open. Yang was looking at her, her eyes half-open with a soft smile on her lips, and Blake leaned in, sharing a soft kiss, the blonde humming against her lips. A soft sigh coming from neither of them reminded Blake that they weren’t alone, and she glanced down.

Baxter had slipped, or he just settled between them on his own accord, his head resting on Blake’s stomach, and she could hear him breathing deeply, his frail shoulders rising and falling slowly. She heard Yang make the soft, cooing laugh, and she petted his head lightly, looking down at him with a fond smile.

“Don’t touch him so much, you’re going to wake him up” Blake whispered, frowning at the blonde.

Yang rolled her eyes with a smile, and after one last touch, her fingers brushing over his head, she pulled away.

“Yes, we don’t want to wake up our son” the blonde said in the same hushed tone, tucking her hand being Blake’s neck.

The faunus hummed, nodding, settling back as she closed her eyes. Then she opened them, furrowing her brows deeply as she stared at Yang.

“He’s not our son” she grumbled.

The blonde’s smile inched larger, and she shrugged, kissing her forehead.

“Whatever makes you sleep at night” she winked, Blake glaring at her.

And she laughed, as silently as she could, pulling Blake slightly closer to her. They stayed silent, enjoying this peaceful time as Blake made them swing gently again. The faunus looked up at Yang after a moment, and the blonde had an unusual serious look on her face as she stared up to the sky.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked in a hushed voice, poking the blonde’s cheek with her nose.

Her lilac eyes glanced down, staring at the tall leaves above them, before returning to the sky, blinking.

“Do you think he’ll be sad when we’ll go?”

It was Blake’s turn to blink, and she glanced down at the red head on her stomach. He let out a huge sigh in his sleep, mumbling as he shifted against her. At that moment, seeing him lost in slumber, her hand moved, ghosting above his head, before resting on it, her touch as light as a feather.

“Probably.”

Yang hummed, keeping her eyes up, her eyebrows furrowed.

“Do you think he’ll remember us, when we come back?”

The faunus stared at the boy, sighing. Her hand still on Baxter’s head, she looked up, leaning her cheek on Yang’s shoulder.

“It could take months. Years. I don’t know what’s going to happen, Yang. I just know that I want to show Menagerie to Ruby and Weiss, which means, we have to find them first.”

She exhaled through her nose, looking down again.

“I don’t know. He’s not that young, but…”

Yang nodded, staying silent. After a few seconds, Yang opened her mouth to say something, but Blake suddenly raised her head, her ears perked on her head as she looked towards the road leading up the hill.

“Mm, someone’s calling him” Blake told Yang as she straightened her back.

Gently, she shook his shoulder, rousing him with a soft grunt, and he sat between them, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Your mother is searching for you” Blake told him, steadying the hammock.

“See you tomorrow, sweetie?” Yang asked with a large smile, petting his head.

He gasped as he straightened his head, his lips pulled in a large smile.

“We can play tomorrow?” he asked, his voice hopeful, his wide, vibrant green eyes shining.

Before Blake could say something, the blonde grimaced slightly.

“Well, I’m still hurt and I have to take it easy, but… I can still kick a ball!”

And she added, after feeling Blake glaring at her:

“Well, _gently_ kick a ball.”

But apparently, it was enough for the boy, because he squealed, bouncing forward to hug Yang, and after a second of hesitation he hugged Blake too before almost tripping from the hammock. He ran to the road, Blake hearing Baxter’s mother grounding him gently for disappearing like that.

“Blake?”

The faunus hummed, her attention back to Yang, seeing the blonde sigh as she shifted in the hammock.

“Don’t get cracked or broken ribs. It sucks.”

Blake frowned in worry, shifting slightly away from her.

“Are you in pain?” she asked, glancing down to the blonde’s side.

“It’s not really pain, at this point, it’s more like… a stab of annoyance” Yang huffed. “We’ve been squished for hours in this.”

“Do you want to rest in your bed?” Blake asked, already halfway off the hammock, but the blonde grabbed her arm, pulling her back gently.

“Nah, this thing is amazing. Beds can’t swing.”

The faunus chuckled, settling back beside the blonde as she pushed with her leg, making them swing and Yang raised her arms above her head, whooping quietly.

How could someone be this cute now, knowing that the blonde could punch someone into oblivion was beyond Blake.

 

**** 

 

“Hey, look at the photo I took today!” Sun excitedly said in the middle of dinner, pulling his scroll from his pocket and leaning on the table to give it to Blake.

Blake eyed him skeptically, glancing down at the device, but he insisted, waving it in front of her until she took it. Tapping on the screen, the dark rectangle lighting up and she choked on her tea.

The picture in front of her was when they were in the hammock, Blake, Baxter and Yang sleeping soundly. The boy was curled between them, facing the blonde, Blake’s arm around him to keep him close to her, and Yang had lean her head against Blake’s neck, her prosthetic arm over the boy and resting on Blake’s hip.

Yang shifted over to her, trying to see what was on the scroll, and she smiled widely, taking the device in her hands.

“Aw Blake! Look at this! Our first family picture!”

The faunus sighed, closing her eyes.

“I told you, he’s not our son” she grumbled, leaning on her elbows.

“I can’t believe you already talked about this” Blake heard her mother say under her breath, knowing only her daughter would hear, and she glared at her mother who pointedly avoided her eyes.

Yang pulled her scroll out and set it next to Sun’s, transferring the picture.

“This is going to be my lock screen” the blonde chuckled, making Blake roll her eyes.

“What’s the deal with him, anyway?” the monkey faunus asked, taking his scroll back after the transfer was done. “I’ve never thought you’d be the one to hang out with kids, Blake.”

“We kinda adopted him.”

“He adopted Yang.”

They both talked at the same time, and Yang glanced at Blake, her eyebrows raised, but the faunus shrugged, smiling in her mug.

“Right, because _I_ was the one he kept cuddling” the blonde scoffed, rolling her eyes.

“Well, it’s not my fault he was glued to me after I got him down the tree.”

“What was he doing in a tree?” Ghira asked, raising a single eyebrow.

“He got stuck” Blake and Yang answered at the same time.

“Anyway, he’s always hanging out with you” Blake continued, glancing at Yang as she took her fork back. “I don’t even think he likes me.”

“Oh, but he does” Yang reassured, pulling a forkful of food to her mouth. “Even though he thinks you’re kinda scary.”

Blake scoffed, turning to the blonde as she let her fork fall in her plate, slightly offended.

“How am I scary?”

Yang chuckled, swallowing before explaining with a small, teasing smile, her eyes glinting.

“I don’t know, maybe the thing you did when you kept stalking me from the roof. And you don’t talk much to him. And the glaring thing you do, too” she added, winking.

“Then why does he like me?”

“He thinks your badass” Yang laughed softly. “And after today, I’m positive you’re now his hero.”

Blake stared at her for a second before humming, returning her attention to her plate. Ghira, Kali and Sun had watched the exchange, blinking.

And they all saw when Blake reached out, taking Yang’s scroll and setting it beside hers to transfer the picture.

 

**** 

 

When Yang entered her room, her hair still damp from the shower, Blake was already sitting on the bad, reading. When she heard the door open, amber eyes glanced up, blinking a few times to adjust, and smiled when she saw the blonde. But when Yang took a step in, closing the door behind her, Blake set her book aside, patting the spot next to her.

“I want you to talk to me” she said softly, as if to not startle the blonde.

Yang walked around the bed as she frowned, sitting beside the faunus.

“Okay, but about what?” the blonde asked, a little confused.

“About your nightmares.”

Yang stilled for a second, and she sighed, leaning her back against the headboard and pulling her knees to her chest, looping her arms around her knees.

“I’m not really in the mood, Blake.”

The faunus brushed the back of her hand on the blonde’s arm, feeling her warm and soft against her skin.

“Then just answer my questions?” she asked, her voice quiet.

It took a moment for Yang to answer, only a small breathed ‘fine’ hit her ears.

“Do you have them often?”

She saw Yang pinch her lips, saw the thumbnail dig in her index finger repeatedly, but she shrugged.

“I used to. At first, I had them every night. The last one was almost a month ago. But I guess after what happened in town…” she shrugged again, trailing off.

“Are you scared?”

The blonde snorted, turning her head to look outside.

“Of course I am” she murmured.

Blake tried to take her hand, but she pulled away slightly, and she set her hand on the blonde’s knee instead. She felt like she kept asking the wrong questions, and Yang was only pushing her away.

“You know I’m here, right? If you ever need to talk.”

“I know. And thanks for cheering me up, yesterday.”

“Anytime” Blake answered smoothly. “Though you looked more angry than scared.”

“Of course I’m angry!” Yang hissed, her hands balling into fists. “The fight didn’t even last five seconds! The ‘fight’” she scoffed, shaking her head as she stared at her prosthetic. “It was more like a big joke than a fight. And when I came to, I’m minus an arm!”

Blake stayed silent, seeing that she had touched a sensible spot, and she let the blonde spoke, thumbing Yang’s knee gently.

“You know what makes me upset, Blake? The thing is, in my dreams, in my nightmares, I still got my two arms” she said through gritted teeth, clenching her fists tighter. “Then I wake up, and I see… I see this _thing_.”

She extended her prosthetic in front of her, the tank top revealing it entirely, and Blake saw the blonde’s mouth twisted in a cold smirk, her eyes taking a shade of red.

“This is not even my reality. This is just an illusion. Look at this” she said, squeezing her fists tightly, feeling her left hand shake. “Look at it. Can you see? It’s not even shaking. Because it’s _gone_. What pisses me of is that I feel more normal in my nightmares than I do now!”

She unclipped her prosthetic in one swift movement, the clenched fist opening as the hand dangled as soon as it was detached from Yang’s arm, and the blonde tossed it in front of her.

“This is my reality, Blake” she said in a low voice, wiggling her stump for the faunus to see. “My reality is that I can’t even hold you right. I can’t even tie my hair in one try! I’m pissed because this arm keeps reminding me how much I sucked at protecting you, but I can’t get rid of it because I need it to fight, or to be useful!”

Her breathing was ragged, her left fist still clenched tight as she fell silent. Blake glanced up at her, and saw the blonde’s features softened, her eyes turning back to lilac, glancing down at her prosthetic with sadness in them. After a few seconds, Yang’s left hand relaxed, and she twisted her wrist as she opened her hand to look at her palm, her fingers trembling slightly.

“I think I’m pissed at myself for thinking I was okay with it” she murmured, flexing her fingers a few times slowly. “I didn’t give myself enough time to heal completely. Heal here” she added, moving her hand to tap against her temple a few times with a sad smile.

Blake silently reached her hand to Yang’s, sliding her fingers in her palm, waiting for a reaction. The blonde squeezed her hand lightly, entwining their fingers together as she exhaled through her nose, her thumb running along Blake’s index finger.

“I’m glad you told me” the faunus said quietly, looking up at her. “If there’s anything I can do to help you, in any way, tell me, alright? I want to help you heal.”

She heard the soft huff the blonde made, and felt her lean just a bit against her shoulder as she nodded.

“Just tie my hair for me and let me make pancakes from time to time, even if I make a mess, and I should be fine in a couple of months” Yang said, smiling slightly.

“Deal.”

Blake kissed the blonde’s shoulder lightly, her lips soft and light on Yang’s skin, and she could see the broad shoulder relax under her touch, feeling Yang lean her cheek on top of her head, careful of the ears. The faunus nuzzled her shoulder, her free hand running up and down Yang’s arm, her fingers ghosting on the skin from shoulder to wrist in a soft pattern, slowing down at the blonde’s bicep, trailing a finger on the curve of the muscles there.

So strong, but still human.

“I have nightmares too” she whispered against her skin, feeling Yang straightening her head to look at her.

Blake rested her chin on the blonde’s shoulder, looking into soft lilac eyes.

“Adam kills you every single time, right in front of me. I’m just there; I can’t move as if I’m paralysed, I can’t do anything except watch you die.”

She saw Yang’s face hardening, saw her grit her teeth, but she leaned in and softly, kissed Blake’s forehead, letting her lips linger there for a second.

“I’m not going anywhere, Blake” she murmured against her skin. “I promise.”


	7. Chapter 7

“I think we should get married.”

Blake frowned, looking up from her book at Baxter and Yang. She was sitting in the old hammock chair on the porch that she had forgotten they had, while Baxter and Yang were sitting on the last step of the stairs, drawing in the dirt with twigs. Yang stopped drawing to stare at the boy at her side, trying not to laugh.

“Why do you say that?”

The boy shrugged, keeping his eyes on the ground.

“I like you. Mom says that when you like someone, you should marry them.”

“Aw, sweetheart, I like you too, but I’m sorry. I can’t marry you.”

“Why?” he asked, looking up with the slightest pout.

“Because” Yang started, laughing softly, “You’re a little young for me” she said, pinching his cheek lightly but he swatted her hand away with a small smile. “And, I already like someone.”

His eyes went wide and round as he gasped, holding his twig with both hands.

“No way! Who is it?”

Blake returned her attention to her book when Yang glanced at her, feigning she wasn’t eavesdropping, but she could see the blonde pointing at her over her shoulder. Baxter stared at Blake for a few seconds, frowning, before returning his attention to Yang.

“I don’t understand. She’s another girl.”

“I know she is” Yang chuckled.

“But I don’t understand” he said again, clearly confused. “Mom said it had to be a boy and a girl. How can you like another girl?”

Yang straightened her back, toying with her twig. Educating a child on same-sex relationships clearly wasn’t in her schedule for today.

“I don’t think I should be the one talking about this with you…” the blonde said, shifting with uneasiness.

“But I want to understand!”

Yang sighed, glancing at the ground as she twisted the thin twig in her hands. Baxter waited not so patiently, staring at her with his wide green eyes, and when the blonde took a sharp intake of air, clearing her throat quietly, Blake looked up, her attention on their conversation.

“I guess… Um. I think that when you like the things a person do, and when you like the way they do it, it doesn’t really matter if the person is the same gender as you. You understand?”

The boy narrowed his eyes slightly, his face scrunching up in confusion, and after blinking a few times he shook his head. Blake smiled at the slouching shoulders of the blonde, but Yang shifted again, turning to him.

“I think…” she started, her eyebrows furrowing as she thought about what she would say. “I think that when you like someone’s smile, when you like when they laugh, the way they laugh, the way they talk and think, the way they make you feel when you’re around them, if you feel great when you’re with them, does it really matter if it’s a boy or another girl?”

The sound of quiet footsteps beside her surprised her, and Blake looked up, seeing Kali making her way to her, a thick paperback book in one hand. Their eyes locked for a second, and before Kali sat beside her in a chair, she petted her daughter’s head gently, her fingers brushing on the spot right between her ears as her thumb caressed the soft fur of one ear. Blake leaned into the touch, closing her eyes for a second, and she felt her mother kiss the top of her head before settling in the chair, opening the book on her lap.

“I think I understand” she heard Baxter mumble after a long silence.

“Maybe I should have told you this when you were younger” Kali quietly wondered, glancing up at Blake.

She reached out her hand, setting it on her mother’s knee.

“There’s never been an occasion, Mom. Besides, it’s not like I asked.”

The older woman hummed, taking Blake’s hand in hers, and Blake smiled at her mother gently before returning her attention to the conversation below just in time to hear Baxter whisper to Yang, as he leaned closer to her.

“I think I only saw Blake smile once. And she never laughs.”

Yang laughed, patting his head gently.

“I can make her smile. Look!”

And the blonde looked over her shoulder at her, flashing a beautiful smile at her as she leaned her elbow on a step, her eyes glinting with affection. Blake couldn’t help but smile with a huff, shaking her head.

She wondered if she would always fall for that smile.

“Doesn’t she look like an angel when she smiles?” she heard Yang ask to Baxter.

The boy nodded, looking thoughtful.

“And she smells nice, too. And she’s soft and warm.”

Yang chuckled as she nodded, pulling her tongue at Blake. Then, she looked back to the boy, and his face was serious as he pinched his lips for a second.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” the blonde asked, settling back beside him.

“Are you going to get married, then?” he asked, looking up at Yang, then glancing at Blake.

Yang raised her eyebrows high on her forehead, her mouth open as she stammered, glancing quickly at Blake.

“I um. Well, yeah, maybe, in a couple of years” Yang mumbled, scratching her cheek with her prosthetic index finger.

“Will I be invited? Mom says people have to be invited” Baxter asked, his voice full of hope as he looked up at them with bright eyes.

And after blinking, Yang set a hand on his shoulder, her face serious.

“Yes, Baxter” the blonde solemnly said. “You’ll be the one carrying the rings.”

Blake hid her face in her hand as she heard her mother laughing quietly and the loud gasp the boy made. She felt her mother squeeze her hand, and she looked up, seeing the amused smile pulling Kali’s lips.

“Don’t you have a thing to say in this?”

Blake shrugged, a soft smile stamped on her lips as Baxter was describing what he would wear for the marriage.

“Yang likes organising things. I’ll agree to whatever she says.”

 

**** 

 

“Why do you have to clean your arm?” Baxter asked, tilting his head to the side.

Yang had brought down her toolbox from her room to stay outside with Blake and Baxter, and Kali had traded her chair with Yang to bring a small, round table for her to work on her arm. But since there were no other chairs outside, Baxter had climbed in the hammock chair with Blake, and he was now comfortably tucked under her chin as the older faunus was on her back on the bottom of the chair, holding her book above them, lowering it for a second for the boy to turn the pages.

“Because there’s sand and dust here; sometimes, it gets stuck in the gears and the panels. So if I want my arm to work correctly, I have to clean it” the blonde mumbled her answer, focused on her job as she pulled out her tongue.

The boy hummed, turning a page for Blake, then pointed at the book with a smile.

“Hey a picture!”

Blake chuckled, lowering the book for him to see better.

“It’s not a picture, Bax, it’s a map” she told him. “It’s Remnant’s map, to be precise.”

Yang straightened her head, looking at her with a curious frown.

“What kind of book is this?”

Blake angled it for Yang to see the cover, and the blonde snorted, sitting back in her chair.

“A book about history and geography. I don’t know why I’m surprised.”

And Blake, without saying anything, unfolded her leg out of the hammock to kick the blonde’s thigh, earning a chuckle.

“We’re here. This is Menagerie” Blake said, pointing at a somewhat big island a little on the side of the biggest continent for Baxter to see. “And Yang’s home place is… here. Right?”

Yang leaned over, seeing Blake pointing at a small island on the other side of the continent, and she nodded with a smile.

“Yup! That’s Patch.”

And after a few seconds, Baxter staring at the map intensely, the blonde chuckled.

“I just realised we’re both islanders.”

“Is it close?” Baxter asked, touching the page with his fingers. “It looks close.”

“Well, it’s not what I would call close, but… I guess it’s closer than Atlas” Yang laughed, pulling her chair closer to them.

She closed the panels of her arm, flexing her fingers with a satisfied hum before she started cleaning her left hand with the rag she always left in her toolbox.

“Where’s Atlas?”

“Right here” Blake pointed at the top of the map. “Our friend Weiss lives there. She told us it’s covered in snow all year long.”

“Snow?” the boy asked, his wide eyes shining. “I’ve never seen snow! Dad once told me that it was really cold, and it melts when you take some in your hands!”

After a glance between each other, Blake and Yang pointed at different spots on the map, telling him who they knew lived there, and telling him some things they knew about those places: snow in Atlas, desert in Vacuo, trees in Mistral and the likes. They tried to tell him how much time it would take to travel from one place to another.

“But what if we go in a balloon?” Baxter asked, glancing at them with wide and round eyes, smiling excitedly at them.

Yang seemed to think about it while Blake just laughed.

“It would depend on the wind” Yang mumbled, rubbing her chin with her now clean left hand. “And how we weight.”

“Where do you want to go in a balloon?”

They heard Kali’s voice before they saw her, and she was carrying a chair from inside to sit with them.

“Atlas! Let’s go see Weiss!” Baxter clapped his hands, bouncing in the hammock chair and making them swing.

Kali raised her eyebrows, blinking, then leaned over, taking a look at the map.

“Honestly, I don’t think that’s possible” she mumbled.

“What? Why not?” the boy whined, slouching his shoulders as he pouted.

“Because of the wind” she explained. “From Atlas, the direction of the wind change. That’s why there’s always snow there, because the wind comes from the north. So, to go to Atlas, you’ll need a ship or an airship, something that can go against the wind. Do you understand?”

He nodded, his bottom lip pulled forth in the ultimate pout, Blake patting his back to give him a little comfort, and Yang leaned her elbows on her knees.

“We could buy an airship. Then, we could go wherever we want!”

The boy gasped again as Yang smiled, but Blake snorted.

“How do we buy an airship, Yang? These are not cheap.”

“Okay, let me reformulate this” Yang raised her hand in front of her, index in the air. “ _Weiss_ could buy an airship. Then we could go wherever we want!”

Now, Kali snorted as Blake shook her head, rolling her eyes at Yang’s beaming face.

“Who’s the pilot? Not sure I would let Ruby drive these things. We’ll end up doing barrel rolls all day long.”

“Uh, duh? You have a certified airship pilot right in front of you” Yang smiled, raising a single eyebrow as she pointed at herself with her thumb.

This time, Blake gasped, straightening her back so fast she almost knocked Baxter off the hammock chair.

“You _are_?”

The blonde nodded, a large smile on her lips as she puffed her chest proudly. After a few seconds, Blake narrowed her eyes, sitting in the hammock as she held Baxter against her to not let him fall off.

“Proof.”

“Seriously?” Yang asked, slightly offended.

Blake nodded solemnly, extending her hand to Yang, flexing her fingers a few times, waiting. Yang rolled her eyes as she fished for her wallet in her pocket, and pulled out a card, dropping it in Blake’s hand.

“It’s my driver’s licence, but there’s an added category right here” she explained, pointing on the opposite side. “The grade letter here means I can pilot an airship.”

Blake hummed, her eyes trailing on the card, staring at the picture. She had a hard time not to laugh: it looked like this picture was taken from a wanted poster, bring back dead or alive.

“Well, maybe Weiss will agree to this, now that we have a pilot” she mumbled, giving back the card to the blonde.

Yang snorted, putting her wallet back in her pocket as she glanced back over her shoulder at her bike.

“Yeah, well, for now I have my bike. Which makes me think” she said cheerfully, looking back at Baxter. “Have you ever been on a bike, little man?”

He shook his head, already bouncing in Blake’s arms with a wide grin on his lips.

“Do you want to go for a ride?” the blonde asked, grinning too.

 

**** 

 

She heard the rumbling of the engine fading away as she pushed with her foot to make her swing gently. She was still at the page of Remnant’s map, her eyes trailing on Mistral, then up to Atlas.

How she wish they could just go there.

“Are you alright?”

Blake raised her head, feeling her mother’s hand gently rest on her arm.

“Yeah, I was… thinking” Blake mumbled, turning the page.

She felt her mother squeeze her arm for a second, her thumb rubbing.

“You’re worried about your friends. It’s understandable” Kali softly said.

Blake looked up, locking her eyes with her mother. Her smile was soft, her eyes filled with affection, and at that moment, Blake asked herself why she had waited all those years before coming back.

“I wish I could call them” Blake murmured, glancing down at her book. “Make sure they’re alright. Ruby is only fifteen, Mom. Well, now she must be sixteen, but that’s still awfully young to lose two friends right in front of her eyes. And I’m not even talking about seeing her sister injured, and Beacon overrun. In the last letter she sent to Yang, she seemed… almost like a different person.”

Blake paused, biting her lip for a second as she looked up. Kali was attentive, eager to listen to whatever she would share with her, but her mother knew not to push. And talking about this with Yang was not the same… She took Kali’s hand and tugged gently, pulling her to the hammock chair, and Kali obliged, leaving her book on the table. It was big enough for both of them, but Blake liked to be close to her mother, and so she settle against her, Kali wrapping an arm around her shoulders, resting her feet on the chair she just left.

“In my opinion, you are all awfully young for this” Kali sighed, kissing Blake’s temple.

“I know, but… I already had seen many things before I went to Beacon. Of course, I’m still…” she motioned at herself with her hand, not able to find the right words. “It all happened so fast” she whispered. “Ruby always wanted to save everyone. She wants to be the hero that saves the day. But when I read the letter, she…”

Blake sighed, her breath trembling, and Kali hugged her tighter.

“She seemed kind of broken, Mom” she finally said. “She’s always so excited about everything, you know? If you could have seen her face when I showed her my weapon up close the first time” she chuckled quietly. “I’ve never seen someone like weapons as much as her. And she’s just… She’s a little shy at first, but when she cares about someone, she _cares_ ” she insisted. “She was almost depressed when I told the team I didn’t want to go to the dance.”

Kali pulled away slightly, looking down at her daughter with her eyebrows furrowed.

“Why didn’t you want to go? You like dancing.”

Blake grunted, rolling her eyes.

“I had other things on my mind, okay?”

“With who were you going?”

“… Sun?”

“Oh. I kind of hoped you were going with another blond.”

Kali chuckled when Blake elbowed her side lightly, but it made Blake smile.

“I danced with her, though. She was the one who convinced me, and she had reserved a dance.”

“And you didn’t get the hint?”

“Shut up” Blake mumbled, making her mother laugh.

They stayed silent for a moment, swinging gently. In the distance, they could hear Yang’s bike coming back.

“You know, at least I’m relieved, because Ruby isn’t alone” Blake continued quietly. “She’s with good friends who know what she’s been through. On the other hand, Weiss…”

They saw Yang drive past the house on the road, starting up the hill and Blake tensed, but the blonde slowed down, then stopped in front of a house. They could see in the distance the small silhouette of Baxter jump down, gave her the red helmet Yang had put on his head before running inside, and the blonde turned around, driving slowly back to the house.

“How did it go?” Blake asked Yang when she pulled off her helmet, shaking her head to make her hair fall in place.

“He loved it!” she beamed, her smile so large it was almost reaching her ears. “He was a little scared at first, but he was like… yelling in the wind in less than five minutes. He told me it felt like he was flying.”

And she tapped twice on the yellow panel on the side of the bike with affection before leaving her helmet on the seat.

“Boy, I know” she chuckled.

She climbed the stairs with a soft sigh, her left hand rubbing against her side.

“You two look cozy” the blonde remarked as she lifted Kali’s feet from the chair, sitting and setting them back on her lap. “What were you talking about?”

“I was about to talk about Weiss.”

Yang raised her eyebrows, staring at Blake, but she bowed her head, waving at her to continue.

“We don’t know much about Weiss’s family” Blake started. “She only talked about her father. Ruby met her older sister, Winter, but she’s in the military, along with a busy schedule that doesn’t let her visit much. But after that…” she shrugged, raising her hands in front of her.

“She avoided her father’s calls, during the Vytal tournament” Yang informed them.

“I noticed it too” Blake confirmed. “I don’t know what kind of relationship they have, but…”

“I don’t think it’s a good one” the blonde finished in a sigh.

“I just wish she have someone, back home.”

Yang leaned over, taking Blake’s hand in hers to give it a squeeze, along with a small smile.

“I’m worried about her, too” she said softly. “I’m sure she’s fine. You know she’s tough for a pipsqueak.”

Blake snorted along with her mother.

“Don’t call her that” Blake’s grimaced.

“But she’s so tiny!”

“You think everyone smaller than you is ‘tiny’, Yang.”

“But-”

“I don’t consider Nora being ‘tiny’.”

“But Weiss is really tiny!” she said to Kali, trying to convince her. “I mean, I could lift her with one hand!”

Blake blinked, then started chuckling.

“I had the image of Weiss, sitting in your hand as she’s filing her nails, acting as if this happened everyday” she chuckled again, making Yang laugh. “But, you know, I’m sure you can lift me with one hand. You can pretty much lift everyone.”

Yang sat back in her chair, a cocky grin pulling her lips as she lifted her left arm and flexed it, the leather of her coat’s sleeve going tight.

“You know it.”

“Stop flirting in front of me” Kali said, winking at Yang, before rolling her eyes. “Ah, young love…”

“Blake!”

Both Blake and Kali looked towards the road, their ears standing tall on top of their heads, and Yang followed their gaze, slightly confuse. They could see Ghira and Sun jogging their way back to them, and by the way her father had called her name, Blake knew it was serious. After glancing at her mother, Kali arriving at the same conclusion, they stood.

The two men neared the house, and Blake could see something her father was holding in one hand, and when he climbed the stairs, he offered it to his daughter.

“I’m sure you don’t know, since you don’t go in town” he said, trying to catch his breath as he waved the rolled up paper in his hand. “I thought you’d want to have some news.”

“What news?” Blake suspiciously asked, glancing at the paper quickly.

It looked like the international newspaper. She felt Yang step closer to her as her father only waved the paper again for Blake to take it, and she did. Carefully, she unrolled it, Ghira sitting in the chair Yang was a few minutes ago, and Sun was sitting on the first step of the stairs, turning his back to them.

“That’s Weiss!” Yang noted, and she stepped closer, taking the paper with her left hand so she could read better.

There was a big picture near the top of the page, showing Weiss on a stage and she looked like she was singing. On top of the picture, written in big black letters:

_Weiss Schnee, the famous ex-heiress’s mysterious disappearance._

Blake felt Yang’s hand on her back, and she could feel the blonde pressing against her side, seeking comfort.

“What do you mean, ‘ex-heiress’? And ‘mysterious disappearance’?” Yang asked to the paper in her hand, staring at it accusingly.

Blake didn’t lose time to read the rest of the article. It said that after a ball to raise funds for Beacon, where Weiss sang for the guests (see the picture) and the young, troubled huntress-in-training had made a scene, her title of heiress was removed the next day, given instead to her younger brother Whitley Schnee. After the following weeks, nobody had seen her, and it was only yesterday that her father, Jacques Schnee, had reported her missing.

Nobody in the family commented on that situation.

“She has a brother?” Yang asked, surprised.

Blake kept staring at the page in front of her. More precisely, at the last sentence, and she noticed Yang did the same when she got there, her left hand crushing the paper, her mouth twisting in anger.

“Assholes” she hissed under her breath. “Do you think they’re searching for her?”

Blake shrugged, silently smoothing the paper, trying to think.

“Blake?”

She raised her head, locking her eyes with dark lilacs, threatening to turn red.

“Do you think it was… um…?”

She glanced at Ghira, then Kali before returning to her, waving her prosthetic arm in front of her, and after a few seconds Blake blinked, understanding.

“No, I don’t think it was the White Fang” Blake shook her head, and Yang’s face softened slightly. “I don’t think they’re desperate enough to attack directly the Schnee Empire.”

Yang snorted but said nothing, looking to her side at Ghira and Kali as they were talking in hushed tones, but her attention came back to Blake when she started to pace on the porch, mindful of Sun’s tale.

“A kidnapping, maybe?” Blake asked, her ears jerked back.

“I don’t think so” Yang countered. “Think, Blake. She’s smart. She’s famous. _Someone_ would have seen something, because it’s clear as day that she wouldn’t go down without a fight. She can get loud, she can get attention to herself. She has those big bright glyphs that always catch the eye. She set the forest on fire one time; I’m positive someone would have noticed.”

“And I’m also positive nobody could take her if she didn’t want to” Sun added, looking up at them. “I saw her summon this huge ass sword that sliced an Atlesian Paladin in half in one try, the nigh Beacon fell.”

Both Blake and Yang raised their eyebrows at that before glancing to each other.

“See, I think she ran away” the blonde continued. “She was already rebelling against her father. I’m not sure she ignored his calls often before.”

Blake stopped her pacing, glancing back and forth between Sun and Yang.

“But why would she do that?”

“Maybe she realised her father is a jerk” Yang shrugged. “Maybe she realised the world she thought she knew was biased by her father’s propaganda, and she realised she grew up in an ivory tower with the Schnee crest stamped on it. Maybe she got sick of it.”

“That’s…” Sun started, but he trailed off without adding anything.

“That was strangely quick and thought out for a half-second answer” Blake blinked, slightly taken aback.

Yang shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I often think about serious things, like my friends.”

Blake felt her shoulders slouch slightly, and she walked to Yang, gripping her wrists and pulling them away so she could hide her face in the blonde’s neck, feeling the strong arms close on her.

“If she did run” Blake started quietly, “where did she go?”

She felt Yang shrug against her cheek, felt her breath tickle her ears when she talked against her hair.

“I don’t know, Blake. But we have to find her.”

She nodded, silent, enjoying the blonde’s warmth. It wasn’t the same as the heat of the weather. This was a welcomed comfort she needed right now, and after taking in a deep breath, kissing Yang’s underjaw, she straightened her back, taking Yang’s hands in hers and she locked her eyes with the blonde.

“Let’s go see the Doctor. He’ll tell us if you’re fit to travel.”

Yang nodded, smiling at her softly but there was something fierce in her eyes, something that told Blake that if something happened to Weiss, the responsible would pay the price.

Twice.

 

****

 

“Well, your aura is back and helping greatly” the man said as he scribbled something down on a paper of a file. “Yours is quite strong. You’re better than I expected in such a short time. But, I’d still want you to come see me in a week, before traveling. Just to be sure you really are fully healed.”

“A week?” Yang almost whined as she shrugged her coat on. “But I’m feeling good!”

“You have to rest, Yang. You wouldn’t go running around as soon as your broken leg is healed, right?”

The silence that followed made him look up, and Yang looked like she was considering it. But as she opened her mouth, Blake set a hand on her arm.

“A week, then. Thank you, Doctor.”

He smiled when the blonde closed her mouth with a clack, pouting, and he bowed his head.

“Fine” Yang grumbled. “A week. Oh, one more thing!” she added, turning on her heels. “Can I do like… light training? I can’t do nothing, anymore.”

He raised his eyebrows, clicking his pen a few times.

“Yes, you can train. And I do hope its light” he insisted, furrowing his brows. “Nothing that involves the upper body, though.”

“Leg day for the rest of the week, got it” Yang nodded, smiling widely. “Thanks Doc! See you in a week!”

And she turned on her heels, exiting the room while Blake rolled her eyes.

Doctor Scarlatina shook his head as he heard them walk out his small clinic, a small smile on his lips. He missed his days treating hunters and huntresses.

 

**** 

 

“What do we do now?” Yang asked, sighing.

She had put on her coat, but didn’t zip it, and so it was catching in the wind as they walked lazily back to the house.

“Well, you take it easy, while I have to tell my parents that we have to leave” Blake sighed. “I should have told them sooner.”

“Don’t you think they have a pretty good idea, now?”

The faunus hummed, her dark eyebrows knitted together as she stared at the ground. It wasn’t until she felt Yang’s palm against hers that she raised her head, noticing the blonde looking at her with a worried frown.

“It’s just… Mom will be sad, and she’ll probably cry when we’ll leave and I hate it. I hate making her sad. My mother deserves all the best things in the world.”

Yang wrapped her arm around her shoulders, kissing her temple with a soft laugh.

“Yeah, Kali’s the best. But I’m pretty sure she’ll understand, though.”

She hummed again, her fingers toying with Yang’s. The Scarlatina clinic wasn’t in town, it was instead just a little past the house, down the hill, and now they were walking along the dusty road that followed the beach. But instead of going home, Blake guided Yang to the beach, and they both sat on the flat rock, admiring the sunset, the sky taking various shades of red and orange.

Blake leaned her head on Yang’s shoulder, and she felt the blonde pull her closer as she looked up, nudging Yang’s cheek with her nose.

“I know you’re not really an early riser, but if I tell you I want to show you something really early in the morning, will you come?” she asked, a mysterious smile pulling her lips.

Yang looked down, raising her eyebrows, but she smiled too, kissing the tip of the faunus nose.

“Sounds interesting, I’m in! Can I ask what it is?”

Blake made a small grimace, more like she was crinkling her nose, her eyes shining in the last light of the sunset.

“Wouldn’t be a surprise if I tell you.”

The blonde gasped, her smile inching larger.

“A surprise?”

“Well, it’s not really a surprise, in fact” the faunus laughed quietly. “It’s something I just realised, and I want to share it with you.”

Yang hummed, her smile softening, her eyes filled with warmth and affection.

“Of course I’ll go with you, Blake. I would love to.”

 

**** 

 

She rolled to her side, groaning, patting blindly on the nightstand to find the evil device waking her from her sleep. Cracking one eye open, she spotted the lit up screen and tapped on it, stopping the insistent vibration, and rolled on her back with a sigh, pushing her hair off her face. The light snores beside her informed her that Yang was still sleeping, and she blinked her eyes open, staring at the ceiling.

It was still dark, but as she looked outside, she noticed that dawn was soon. They didn’t have much time. But as Blake rolled on her side, one hand already in the air to shake the blonde, she stopped.

Yang was sleeping on her stomach, her face half visible, buried deep in the pillow and hidden under her unruly hair. Both her arms were under the pillow, one knee pulled up, the orange tank top revealing a good portion of skin, for she had kicked the blankets off in her sleep. And as Blake looked at her, biting her lip, her hand trembled slightly.

She sometimes wished she could be bold. Or, she wished she had the guts to just touch her like she wanted to. Kiss her whenever she wanted. Run her hand along Yang’s long legs to feel the muscles underneath, kiss down her neck to feel how smooth her skin is.

She closed her eyes, clutching her hand into a fist.

_First things first, Belladonna._

She could already feel a headache coming. They went to bed late, last night: Blake announced to her parents that they had to leave in a week or so. Kali had taken the news especially well, much to Blake’s relief, but she thought it was only because it was obvious, after the situation with Weiss. Ghira had been serious, his face stoic, but like Kali, he already knew, and so he told them he would gather as much information he could on Weiss, but asked not to hope too much.

The Schnee family wasn’t a really welcomed conversation subject, here.

But Blake thanked him anyway. They would take any information, as small as it is. And then, they tried to plan their itinerary to Mistral. They couldn’t fit Yang, Blake and Sun plus the bags on Yang’s bike, so the travel to Ruby would take a couple of days, maybe a few weeks. It was going to be a long journey.

But just the thought that maybe in a few months, team RWBY would be back together filled her with determination.

And so, they only had three, maybe four hours of sleep. She thought that they could still go tomorrow, they could sleep in for today. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing the sky on the horizon getting paler.

They could always take a nap later.

She returned her attention to Yang, oblivious in her slumber. Blake smiled, sneaking closer, leaning her head on her hand. She brushed the blonde locks off Yang’s face, and the blonde sighed in her sleep, shifting slightly. She traced one golden eyebrow with the tip of her finger, before trailing down her nose, ghosting over her cheek, and she was softly drawing the lines of her lips when one lilac eye fluttered open, Yang taking in a deep breath. A smiled pulled her lips, and Blake could feel how soft they were against her fingers.

“Hey gorgeous” the faunus murmured as Yang took her hand, turning it and leaving a soft kiss on her palm.

The blonde hummed, frowning, but still smiled.

“That’s my line” she said, chuckling, her voice low and raspy from sleep.

Blake laughed softly, leaning down to kiss Yang’s forehead while the blonde cuddled closer, hugging her.

“Come on, now. We don’t want to be late” Blake whispered as she pulled away, making the blonde whine.

She took her hand, tugging on it until Yang sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing her face with her cold prosthetic hand.

“Where are we going again?” she asked groggily, glancing outside.

“We’re going to see the sunrise” Blake smiled, tugging on her hand again.

Yang stood, letting Blake guide her in the room, a smile stamped on her face.

“Aw, you’re so romantic” the blonde chuckled.

The faunus didn’t answer, but led her to the window, unlocking and opening it before climbing out on the roof, pulling on Yang’s hand again.

“Why are we going through the window?” Yang asked, slightly confused.

“I thought you liked adventures” Blake teased, still tugging on her hand.

“Well, I do, yeah. When I’m fully awake.”

When they both were on the roof, Blake started towards the edge, and Yang followed her, still blinking her eyes to try and fight off her sleepiness. When they were at the corner of the roof, facing a tree with a big thick branch relatively close, Blake jumped on it, and after a second of hesitation, Yang followed. They soon arrived at the center, where the branches separated to make a flat center, and Yang paused.

“It looks like a giant hand” she quietly mused.

Blake flashed her a smile above her shoulder, offering her hand as she was standing in the center.

“I know. It’s my favorite tree, I used to hide here and read all day long when I was younger” Blake said as Yang took her hand, carefully jumping from the branch beside the faunus. “It’s also the best spot to watch the sunrise.”

And she sat, leaning her back against the bark, facing the clear spot the separated branches created, and Yang settled beside her, leaning on the faunus’s side. And they were just in time, too. The sky was already changing color, passing from soft yellow and orange to reddish pink, mixed with various kind of purple.

“That’s why I always liked your eyes” Blake quietly whispered in Yang’s ear, her eyes never leaving the sunrise. “They reminded me of home.”

And she pointed where the shade of purple was paler, glancing down to a matching pair of eyes that stared at her in wonder, and she looked back at the view, feeling her cheeks coloring. She felt Yang straighten her back, pulling away gently, and she looked back, worried, but only felt the blonde cup her cheeks as Yang proceeded to kiss every inches of her face, holding her in place even when Blake started to laugh.


	8. Chapter 8

“How was the sunrise?”

Blake smiled, shaking her head as she huffed. Of course, her mother had to notice. Kali flashed her a grin, returning her attention to the apple she was inspecting.

“You’re not as subtle as you think you are” she said, winking.

“Yang isn’t” Blake rectified. “Even less when she’s half asleep. But it was…”

Blake sighed, a soft smile stamped on her lips as she held the bag for her mother, Kali dropping a handful of fruits in it as she laughed quietly.

“It couldn’t have been better” she finished, her smile inching larger.

“You are such an adorable mess” her mother laughed, looping her arm around Blake’s as they started walking to another stand.

Blake rolled her eyes as she chuckled, patting her mother’s arm a few times.

“She says that too.”

Kali smiled, her eyes shining, and before Blake could add anything else, she caught something in the corner of her eyes, just behind her mother. They were surrounded by the mass of people of the buzzy marketplace, but in that instant all her senses were on high alert, and she quickly pushed her mother behind her, Kali yelping in surprise. Raising her hand behind her head as she turned towards what was coming, she cursed when her hand closed on thin air, remembering she left her weapon at the house.

The people in front of her were suddenly pushed aside as they yelled, and the thing that emerged from between them wasn’t the boarbatusk she thought it was, but instead, a young boy with dark red hair and vibrant green eyes came crashing into her as he tripped. With a mix of anger and relief, she caught him, straightening him back to his feet with her hands under his arms.

“Baxter, what the hell? Watch where you-”

He looked up, realising who it was, and his eyes grew wide and round when they heard shouting, cutting her off efficiently. He quickly stepped around Blake, hiding behind her white coat except for his head, and as she was about to ask him what he was doing, three boys, clearly older than Baxter, stumbled in front of her. One of them spotted him, and they started to walk forward with furious looks, only stopping and looking up when Blake stepped in.

“What’s happening here?” she asked, her ears pinned to her head.

She had used her booming voice, standing tall as she pushed Baxter back behind her, frowning down at the three boys in front of her. She saw them take a step back, two of them hiding behind the third. He had sand blond hair, short, and light brown eyes, the color of honey. Fur started covering his lower arms to his hands, and Blake knew what was hidden under the fur of his fingers: razor-sharp claws. He looked up straight into Blake’s eyes, tilting his head up defiantly.

“He stole something from us” he spat out, his friends nodding vehemently.

Blake blinked, looking back over her shoulder to see the supposed thief in her mother’s arms.

“Is that true, Baxter?” she asked calmly.

He shook his head with so much force she thought he would lose it, his face twisted in anger.

“No! _They_ stole it from me! I’m just taking it back!”

“Liar!” one of the other boys, the one with a spotted white tail, shouted.

“You’re the liars!” Baxter yelled back.

“Enough!”

Blake saw the two boys shrink back, and she closed her eyes for a second, sighing internally. The headache she had feared until now was coming full force, and she tried to find the patience to solve this problem calmly.

“Baxter” she called, her voice sharp and a little harder than she meant as she saw the boy jump behind her. “Is there a way to know it was yours?”

“My dad’s name is written on it!”

The way the three other boys paled didn’t escape her attention. Baxter pulled out a fold-up knife, with a wooden hilt, the blade shining as he carefully pulled on it until it clicked in place, then pointing the name carved on it. Kali gave a quick look, nodding at Blake, and she turned towards the livid three young boys in front of her, stepping closer to tower over them.

“Jasper” she said through clenched teeth, and the blond boy visibly flinched, hiding his neck in his shoulders as his two friends took a few steps back. “I know where you live. Do you want me to tell your mother that you’re stealing?”

He shook his head vigorously, his eyes staring at his feet as he clenched his fists. Blake leaned slightly closer, and she could see him shrink a little more.

“Then don’t. Do it. Again. Am I clear?”

He nodded quickly without looking up, then the three boys scrammed away, bumping a few people on the way. Blake watched them as they ran, humming, nodding once. Maybe a good scare would do the trick. Then, she turned on her heels, her eyes narrowing on Baxter as she stomped her way to him.

“What are you doing with a knife?” Blake almost barked at him, and Kali raised a peaceful hand in front of her, raising her eyebrows at her daughter.

“Easy, Blake.”

“Dad gave it to me” Baxter said at the same time, waving the knife around.

“Do you know how to use it?” she asked after a deep breath, trying to stay calm.

But when the boy shrugged, still waving the knife around as if he was slashing invisible enemies, she felt her eye twitches, and saw in the corner of her eye Kali sending her a warning glare.

“This is not a toy, Bax! You can hurt yourself if you’re not careful!”

She saw the boy jump at the harsh tone she took, looking up at her as if she just slapped him, and he stumbled back, against Kali. She felt her ears droop, grimacing as she looked away. After a sigh, running a hand into her hair, she set a knee on the ground to be at eye level with the boy.

“I’m sorry” she murmured. “I shouldn’t have talked to you like that. I’m just… I’m just worried that you hurt yourself.”

She could feel people staring, but she didn’t care. Kali’s hand gently rested on the boy’s shoulder, squeezing lightly, and Baxter stared at her, holding the knife against him. His lips were pinched, his eyebrows furrowed, but his eyes were locked with Blake’s, and after a moment, he seemed to relax.

“Okay” he whispered, nodding slightly.

“Okay” Blake smiled, feeling a wave of relief wash over her.

Then, her eyes fell on the blade, the sun shining on it sending a blinding flash.

“Can I see it?” she asked gently, opening her hand in front of her. But when she noticed the boy holding it closer to him, she huffed quietly. “I promise I’ll give it right back.”

After a few seconds of hesitation, he carefully gave the knife to her. Blake hummed, pleasantly surprised, as soon as it was in her hand. She weighted it, twirling it around her fingers with ease before balancing it on her index finger.

“Perfect balance” she murmured to herself.

With a quick flick of her wrist, she made the knife twirl around her fingers again, and when the hilt stopped right in her palm, she used the blade on her thumb nail. Humming again, she pinched the blade between her fingers, throwing it in the air in front of her, the knife making an arc before she caught it with her left hand, twirling it with her fingers, quickly folding the knife with a dry clack.

“It’s a really good knife” Blake nodded, looking at the carving on the wooden hilt. “And it’s really sharp, too.”

She looked up to see Baxter, staring at her with round, wide eyes filled with awe and wonder. Just as she was giving it back, she pulled away slightly, and Baxter eyed her suspiciously.

“What if…” she started, and she could see Baxter’s face twisting in anger, as he was thinking she would keep the knife. “… I showed you how to properly use it, so I won’t be worried that you hurt yourself?”

She heard both her mother and the boy gasp, both for different reason. Kali gasped in horror and Baxter in utmost happiness, and she smiled, handing over the knife. Baxter took it with reverence, almost as if he feared she would take back her offer if he was too quick.

“That’s what I thought” she chuckled. “Meet me at the house in an hour, okay?”

And the smile he gave in response was almost reaching his ears, his eyes shining. He nodded before running away, laughing, and Blake stood up, watching him go with a small, fond smile. She sighed, her shoulders relaxing, thinking that it could have ended way worse than that, but when she looked back at her mother, Kali was glaring at her with her ears pinned down on her head, her eyes narrowed.

“What?” Blake asked, shrugging.

 

**** 

 

“What?” she asked, this time raising her eyes to the sky with a sigh.

Yang was glaring at her, her arms crossed on her chest and her lips pinched as the blonde stood beside her. Blake let out a long, deep sigh, opening another carton and searching in it, moving aside to let the ray of sun fall through the window in the poorly lit shed.

“He’s just a child, Blake. You can’t just let him play with a knife” Yang finally said after a long moment.

“He’s not that young, Yang” the faunus countered without looking up. “I was about his age when I started to learn swordplay.”

“Oh? So you’re telling me your parents knew and they were okay with it?”

Blake paused for a second.

“Well, not at first, but-”

“Then why do you think it’s a good idea to make him play with a knife?”

“Yang” Blake interrupted her, turning to face her. “I’m not going to let him learn with a real knife, not right from the start. Besides, I’ll be there!”

When she was met with silence and a raised golden eyebrow, she rolled her eyes, returning to her task.

“Look, I already told him I was going to teach him. What kind of person would I be if I back tracked on my words?” she mumbled, her ears jerked back and flicking with annoyance.

There was another silence as Blake rummaged through another carton, pushing it aside with a grunt when she didn’t find what she was looking for. She moved to the back of the shed, hearing Yang following her, and when she passed the old wooden worktable, covered in dust from the years passed here, Yang climbed and sat on it. Blake could feel her eyes on her neck as she opened an old dresser, the door creaking, and a cloud of dust rose, making the faunus cough.

“Blake, we’ll be gone by the end of the week” she heard Yang softly say, and she stopped, her hand still holding the thin wood of the door.

“I know” she answered in the same way, staying still.

“Then why are you doing it?”

“Because I want to. Because Baxter wants to.”

Silence. Again. She usually liked quiet times and places, but she didn’t really liked when there was silence as heavy as this. Not with Yang. And as she was about to turn around, opening her mouth to speak, Yang beat her to it.

“There are other ways to show him you care, Blake.”

She felt her ears fall back on her head as she flashed her a glance, before staring stubbornly at the bottom of the empty dresser, gently waving the thin door to make it creak.

Something had to fill the silence.

But it only grew, and after a moment Yang sighed, jumping down from her perch and walked closer, stopping the door from creaking as she leaned her shoulder against the dresser.

“Hey” Yang whispered softly. “There’s nothing wrong with you caring for him, you know.”

“I don’t like kids” Blake suddenly said, and Yang blinked.

Tired of staying still, the faunus stepped aside, walking past the blonde to search in another old, dusty dresser, feeling Yang’s stare on her all the way.

“I don’t like kids” she said again, opening the door and waving the dust aside. “They’re loud. They’re gross, they don’t understand sarcasm and double meaning. They don’t understand personal space. They don’t know what’s okay to tell and what’s not. They don’t have a ‘filter’.”

She rummaged through the few things inside before closing the door with a sigh, opening a cabinet right beside it.

“I’m not comfortable around them.”

“But you’re comfortable around Baxter?” Yang asked behind her.

She stopped, glancing over her shoulder. Yang was still leaned against the dresser, her arms crossed, her eyebrows raised as she waited for an answer.

“I’m… at ease around him, but not comfortable. You make it easier.”

“Me?”

Yang sounded astonished, and she stepped closer, leaning her hip against the worktable.

“Why?”

“Because when he comes here, he wants to see you” Blake answered, resting her hands on her hips at another fruitless search, glancing around to find someplace she hadn’t searched yet. “Not me. He’s excited at you, he’s loud at you.”

“You still let him climb in the hammock with you” Yang countered, raising a single eyebrow.

“Because he wanted to stay with you” she answered, pushing with the tip of her boot on a wooden box under the work table. “You get the attention. You’re toning him down from me, and honestly, I’m glad. I just have to be there, and maybe he’ll talk to me.”

She crouched, looking under the table.

“I don’t know how you do it, you make it look so easy. I just can’t do it. But I guess it goes with raising Ruby” she added, shrugging. “I’m an only child, and I’m the youngest child in the extended family. I didn’t grow up with kids. My friends were always older than me.”

She grunted as she stood, abandoning for a moment her search to stand beside Yang, leaning against the table too.

“But I liked showing him the map. He looked excited at everything I said, and kept asking questions. I may not get along with him like you do, but I know he’s curious.”

She heard Yang huff beside her, and she shifted, crossing her arms as she shrugged.

“I know things that may interest him. Things that I’ll be happy to share with him. And maybe I’ll be more comfortable around him. That’s the kind of relationship I want.”

She shrugged again, straightening her back as she glanced around the shed with a sigh.

“For now, I’ll teach him how to use his knife. Or, how not to lose it again. I remember I stashed my old practice knives and swords in here, but…”

She took another long glance, inspecting every inches of the shed with her eyes.

“It was years ago” she finished in a murmur.

“Lemme help you, then” Yang straightened her back beside her, winking with a small smile. “Ruby always said I could find everything she lost.”

After a soft snort from Blake, they both started on opposite sides of the shed, retracing Blake’s steps in case she’d missed it. It took another fifteen minutes before Yang, coughing from the dust, leaned on what she thought was the wall but it was, in fact, a blanket draped over a thick and large dresser, and the blonde yelped in surprised. Blake was by her side instantly, making sure she was alright, then took a closer look at the dresser, opening the door.

“There they are!” she exclaimed with a wide smile on her face.

She took the box, minding the few wooden swords that was sticking out of it, and carried it outside, Yang following her. She set in on a step of the stairs of the front porch, rummaging in it while they waited for Baxter.

“I can’t believe they’re all there! Even the real ones!”

She pulled out a black rectangle, narrow and thin, and looked up at Yang.

“Have you ever played with a butterfly knife, Yang?” she asked with a small smirk, her eyes glinting.

When the blonde shook her head, Blake flicked her wrist, and right in front of Yang’s eyes, the faunus literally played with a butterfly knife, twirling it around as if it was the easiest thing in the world. Yang looked up, locking her eyes with the faunus, and Blake winked, the blade coming back to its original rectangle with a clack in her hand.

“I should bring it back with me” she said as she looked down on it. “It helps when I’m nervous.”

“Are you kidding?” Yang asked, throwing her hands in the air. “If you start playing with that thing wherever we go, I won’t be able to think properly, ever!”

Blake snorted, already opening the small pouch she had on her belt and putting the knife there.

“I’ve been playing with that thing since I’m thirteen, Yang. I won’t cut myself, don’t worry.”

“Oh, it’s not that” the blonde assured, a small smile on her lips and a strange shine in her eyes. “I’m not worried for you. I’m worried for me.”

“For you?” Blake asked, fishing a set of throwing knives from the box, pulling one out to look at the blade.

She made the small knife twirl around her fingers a few times to remember the weight, looking up when she realised that Yang had stepped closer.

“Do you realise how sexy you are when you play with sharp things?” the blonde whispered.

She felt her ears perk on her head, stopping the blade in her hand. She felt like her heart stuttered, then resumed its beating, the pace way faster than it was before when Yang smiled, something in her eyes making her knees weak.

“Oh” was the only thing Blake could let out in a soft breath.

Yang chuckled, stepping closer again, her eyes locked with Blake as she set a soft hand on the faunus’s hip, her thumb gently rubbing to feel her skin, and after a second of hesitation set her prosthetic over Blake’s coat, on her back, as she pulled her closer. Letting the knife fall back in the box, Blake rested her hands on the blonde’s shoulder, swallowing thickly.

“Yeah” Yang breathed. “There’s that.”

“Well I’m glad you told me” the faunus whispered smoothly, a small smile on her lips as she tried to act like her heart wasn’t beating a thousand miles a minute.

She brushed her fingers up the blonde’s neck, following her jawline to ghost her fingers on Yang’s lips, looking up into lilac eyes as she raised a single eyebrow suggestively. Blake could see Yang’s pulse jump on her neck, and heard the sharp intake of air before the blonde leaned in, catching Blake’s lips as she pulled the faunus closer. Hips to hips.

“I want you to do unspeakable things to me. With me” Yang murmured when they broke apart, her eyes half closed.

“Really?” Blake asked in the same hushed tone, her hands looping behind Yang’s head. “Like what?”

She felt the blonde’s hand, large and rough, travel from her hip, snaking across her bare back, feeling as much skin as she could. Yang laughed softly, kissing the tip of her nose, then her cheek, then just under her human ear, high on Blake’s neck, but just feeling her lips there sent shivers down the faunus’s back.

“There’s a reason they’re unspeakable” Yang murmured in her ear, and Blake was so distracted by the breath tickling her that she almost didn’t hear the last part. “Your mother is watching, and I’m not sure if she can hear us.”

It took a few seconds for Blake to register the information, and after a moment she almost snapped her head to look to the side, to the window. Kali was there, sipping from her cup of tea as she was looking away, but she seemed to feel Blake’s stare because she glanced down almost instantly, waving her fingers at them.

Blake narrowed her eyes. She couldn’t tell if her mother was genuine or if she was acting innocent.

Yang waved back almost too cheerfully, and when the trademark amused smile pulled Kali’s lips, they both knew she had heard. As Blake felt a blush darkening her cheeks, Yang pointed at Blake, and Kali raised her eyebrows, before forming an ‘O’ with her index and thumb, the three other fingers in the air as the blonde nodded with a charming smile.

Kali raised her eyebrows even higher on her forehead before starting to laugh, and Blake almost punched Yang away from her as her face was now crimson, the blonde laughing, too.

 

****

 

Blake could say what she wanted about kids, she was a good teacher. Or, Baxter was a good student. The boy had been so excited when he arrived, pulling out his knife from his pocket proudly until Blake took it and traded it with one of her wooden knife. When he started to argue, she explained why it was better to start without a real blade, and though he was a little disappointed, he understood.

Yang watched them from inside, standing in front of the window. She could see the stiffness in Blake’s movements at first, but the boy’s eagerness to learn made her relax bit by bit. Blake showed him how to hold the knife so his opponent couldn’t turn it against him, and she showed him how to take a knife from someone. He asked many times to redo it, so he could do it with ease.

Yang decided to go inside to make sure she wouldn’t be a distraction, according to what Blake said earlier. But Baxter was so focused on what Blake was showing him that he didn’t look at all bothered that Yang wasn’t there, and he kept asking questions. He also seemed to understand that getting loud and overexcited with Blake wasn’t a good plan, because he kept his cool, listening to every instruction with attention.

At some point, Blake was comfortable enough to shrug off her coat, leaving her with her sleeveless crop top as she watched the boy, her hands on her hips. She even decided to pull out the set of throwing knives from the box, and showed off her skills as she threw three knives in quick succession, the three blades sinking in the trunk of a nearby palm tree with barely an inch between them. And Baxter almost begged her to show him how to do that.

“She’s having a good time.”

Yang slightly jumped, looking up at the deep voice that came from beside her. For someone as gigantic as Ghira, he sure was sneaky.

“Yeah” Yang nodded, returning her attention outside.

Silence fell on them as they both watched Blake explain something to Baxter, both now sitting on the last step of the stairs of the porch. The boy looked confused, and he looked up to say something, and Blake smiled, her ears flicking gently as she spoke. Yang knew that Blake was at ease now, or at least, she was more comfortable than when the boy first arrived.

Yang shifted her weight from her leg to the other, crossing her arms over her chest. She still didn’t know why Blake’s father made her feel anxious like this. Maybe because he was so… imposing. Or, maybe it was because she was dating his daughter. The sure thing was, she wasn’t used to feel that small around someone.

He seemed to sense her nervousness because he glanced down, the corners of his lips slightly pulled up.

“Am I making you nervous?” he asked, his tone slightly waving into an amused one.

“I-” Yang interrupted herself as she raised her eyebrows, looking up at the man for a second. “Yeah? I never thought someone could be taller or larger than my dad, and you’re like… twice his size.”

That earned a quiet chuckle as the man looked back outside, a really small smile on his lips as he folded his hands behind his back. He fell silent again, his eyes staying on Blake, and Yang saw his smile slowly fade away, and she looked outside, too. After a moment, his voice rose, low and quiet, for them only.

“I know Blake didn’t tell us everything that happened, the night Beacon fell” he started without looking at her, his eyes staying on his daughter. “I know she held some things back. And don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you” he assured, giving the blonde a quick glance. “If she didn’t want to share, I’m not going to pry.”

Yang nodded, feeling slightly relieved. What were the things Blake didn’t share? Yang was glad Ghira wasn’t going to push. She didn’t want to say something that Blake didn’t want her to. And so, she stayed silent, her left hand closing on her prosthetic arm, her thumb rubbing on the cold, hard panels. She sometimes wondered why, when she was wearing it, it wouldn’t get some heat.

“But even since she got here with Sun, she’s been brooding, moody and worried all the time” Ghira continued, sighing quietly. “She’s been worried about the White Fang, about Beacon, about you and the team…”

His eyes glanced down for a second before returning to Blake, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

“I know I don’t have the same relationship with her as Kali does. It was always like that. She would go to her mother for sensible subjects, for comfort and advice. She would come to me for school and for the White Fang, when I was leading them. So maybe Kali knows more, but I really doubt it.”

He cleared his throat, shifting.

“My point is that… I’m glad she has you.”

He looked down at Yang, who raised her eyebrows in silent surprise, and a small smile pulled his lips again.

“She’s been smiling all the time since you are here, and she seems relaxed. You make her smile and laugh. She can talk to you, and you two shared many things since you first met. And I know you care about her” he added, his eyes falling on her prosthetic arm.

Yang unfolded her arms to hold her right hand in front of her, closing it in a fist, hearing the gears clicking quietly in the silence between them.

“I would do it again” she assured, her eyes staying on her prosthetic.

“I don’t think she could bear to see you injured for her again” Ghira noted gently. “The only thing I’m asking from you is to keep making her smile. I know you got her back, and she got yours. Keep her happy.”

He locked his eyes with her and she nodded solemnly.

“I will.”

He huffed, one corner of his lips pulling up as he nodded, returning his attention outside. Blake had set aside the knives, and they were just talking, Baxter telling something to her as he waved his arms around, his eyes round and a large smile on his lips, Blake listening carefully.

“I just want her happy” Ghira sighed. “She has done enough worrying.”

 

****

 

Blake walked back from the shed and was quietly nearing the hammock, wondering if Yang was sleeping. The blonde had her eyes closed, her breathing slow and deep but she wasn’t snoring, and when Blake stood beside her, sending her shadow on Yang, the blonde cracked one eye open.

“Hey gorgeous” Yang smiled, scooting aside to leave some room for the faunus.

Blake snorted, climbing beside her, laying her head on Yang’s shoulder as she settled, the blonde chuckling quietly. Yang reached out with her right hand, wrapping the prosthetic fingers around Blake’s wrist to look at her hand and exposed arm.

“I wonder why your skin is so pale” Yang quietly mumbled, frowning slightly. “It’s always sunny, here.”

“And the answer is quite simple. Usually, I stay inside” Blake said, amused.

The blonde hummed, releasing her wrist. Yang settled her prosthetic under her head, her left arm holding Blake close. The blonde looked down, smiling at the faunus.

“You looked like you had fun with Bax.”

“I did” Blake smiled. “He’s a fast learner. And at some point he just asked questions about something else. Like the sun, the flowers and the stars.”

She stopped for a second, pinching her lips.

“Maybe I should find the star charts Dad keeps, so I could show him the constellations.”

“You mind if I join? I like seeing you talk about the stars.”

Blake huffed, smiling up at Yang who winked. They fell in a comfortable silence, listening to the wind blowing in the leaves, and the distant sounds of the waves on the beach.

“Where’s Baxter?” Yang asked quietly, her eyes closed.

“Home. It’s almost dinner” Blake answered in the same hushed tone, and she snuggled closer.

The blonde hummed again, and Blake sighed, content. They both didn’t take a nap, and from the short night they had, the faunus had all the intention of napping right now, but as she felt she was drifting away, Yang’s voice caught her attention.

“Hey Blake?”

The faunus hummed questioningly, her eyes closed. She felt the blonde take a deep breath before she spoke again.

“I talked to your dad earlier. He said he was sure you didn’t tell them everything that happened at Beacon. He said he was sure you held things back.”

The faunus kept her eyes closed, but she could feel her face hardening.

“They don’t need to know everything, Yang. I told them enough.”

She felt the blonde shrug, and knew she had raised her hands in the air in defeat.

“Fine, fine. But can you tell me what you didn’t tell them? I don’t want to spill it by accident.”

The faunus tensed, her eyes opening. Thoughts of napping were long gone, now. She pulled away, Yang looking down at her, eyebrows raised as she waited for an answer. Blake swallowed, toying with the hem of the blonde’s jacket.

“I um… I didn’t tell them it was Adam.”

That earned a surprised noise from Yang, and the blonde shifted to better look at her.

“Can I ask why you didn’t tell them? Do they know him?”

When she was met with silence, Yang sighed, rolling onto her back and making them sway a little.

“I guess they know him, he was your mentor” the blonde mumbled under her breath, her eyebrows furrowed.

Blake closed her eyes. She had to tell her at some point.

“He… wasn’t just my mentor” she started carefully, her voice low and quiet.

“What do you me-” Yang started, then suddenly stopped mid-sentence, her eyes staring at Blake.

The faunus made it a point to look everywhere except at Yang, and it only gave the blonde her answer.

“Oh my God” Yang murmured, slowly straightening her back to sit in the hammock. “Oh my God, you mean to tell me you dated… _him_?”

Blake felt her ears fell flat on her head, and for a moment she refused to move from her spot, curled onto herself. She could feel the blonde’s stare, and she could see her blink, and after a few seconds Yang shifted.

“Okay, sorry. I was just surprised. I… honestly didn’t expect that.”

Blake carefully looked up at her, and the blonde was calmly sat, looking at her.

“That’s it?” she asked quietly.

“What do you mean?” Yang frowned, tilting her head slightly to the side.

“You’re just going to… brush it aside?”

The blonde shrugged, exhaling through her nose as she glanced around.

“I don’t think my opinion on this is needed, and besides, even if I did get angry, or whatever you expected, if I break everything here, it wouldn’t change anything. So yeah, I’m just gonna brush it aside.”

The faunus stared at her for a moment, and she lowered her head, leaning her forehead against Yang’s thigh.

“I never told anyone” Blake breathed. “I don’t want to tell my parents, because they’ll ask questions. Questions I’m not sure I want to answer.”

“Can I ask which questions it is?”

Blake looked up, locking her eyes with Yang. The way the blonde asked her questions, ‘Can I ask’, hadn’t gone unnoticed, and she knew Yang was doing it on purpose. Offering Blake a choice, the option of saying no. It was just a small gesture, but she felt so grateful for the chance of an escape.

“Like why did I left the White Fang” Blake answered in a low voice. “They know I could have walked through hell with him, back then.”

“Can I ask why you did, then?”

The answer took a long moment to come. For a second, Blake was tempted to say no.

“The White Fang was one of the reasons. They weren’t fighting for faunus rights, anymore. And the other reason was… Adam. He changed, along the way. I guess climbing up the ranks messed with his head.”

Yang settled back beside Blake, slowly and carefully as if she didn’t want to startle her, and the next question was asked so quietly Blake almost didn’t hear it.

“Did he hurt you?”

No chance of escape here. She knew she didn’t have to answer if she didn’t want to, that Yang wouldn’t mind if she stayed silent. And yet, she opened her mouth.

“Never physically.”

Yang rolled her head to the side, locking her eyes with her. The faunus could see the lavender in her eyes shifting, waving to a soft red tone as the blonde pressed her lips together. Blake didn’t want to be in her head right now.

“Well, I guess that changed, too” Yang finally said, glancing down to Blake’s stomach, where the remnant of a scar still lingered.

Blake stayed silent, and Yang rolled her head again, staring up at the sky. Blake looked at her, admiring her profile, noticing how she had furrowed her eyebrows and pinched her lips as she was thinking. She also noticed a bump that broke the straight line of her nose, wondering why she never saw it before now. Probably the remnant of a broken nose.

“I guess that’s why you were so… guarded, when we first met” Yang said, rolling her head to the side, grimacing slightly.

Blake held her stare for a few seconds before glancing away, leaning her cheek against Yang’s shoulder and she could feel the blonde had set a hand on Blake’s knee, squeezing gently as her thumb rubbed light patterns. Yang sighed as she returned her gaze to the sky, and they stayed silent for a few minutes, the faunus thankful for Yang’s touch; as small as it was, it was enough for her right now.

“We have to tell Baxter that we’ll leave” the blonde blurted out suddenly, her thumb stopping its soothing motion.

And Blake sighed, half relived for the change of subject, and half worried for the task at hand.

 

****

 

She woke up with a start, feeling like she fell in the bed, her heart pounding in her chest. Blinking a few times, she noticed the Yang was still asleep beside her, the soft snores she made making her relax slowly as she rolled on her back, running a hand in her hair, staring at the ceiling. Her eyes darted to the window; she’d left it wide open the night before, and a soft breeze entered the room, along with the chirps of the nearby birds. The sun was barely up, and Blake grunted, closing her eyes as she let her head fall back in her pillow.

She let her hand tangled in her hair, focused on slowing her breathing, trying to sync it with Yang’s, when she felt herself being pulled from her slumber again. This time she sat on the edge of the bed, careful to not wake Yang up, and she waited, her ears perked and searching for the sound. When it came again, she stood, already climbing out the window.

Someone was calling her name. And who else could be calling for her except Baxter.

She didn’t care that she was barefoot and in her sleepwear. Nobody was up at this hour, and even if there were people, she didn’t care. Blake quickly made her way to the boy, stopping with a sigh at the foot of a tree, looking up at Baxter.

“Again?” she asked, resting her hands on her hips.

“I’m stuck” he mumbled, hiding his face in his shoulder as he held on for dear life.

Shaking her head, Blake quickly reached the boy, and like the first time, he clung to her as if he was drowning.

“Why did you climb, this time?” Blake asked as she started to climb down.

“I was wondering if I could reach the top” Baxter answered as he hid his face in Blake’s neck.

“Did you?”

“Yeah, but when I started to get back down, I looked down… and I got stuck.”

Blake pinched her lips to stop herself from chuckling at the frustration in the boy’s voice.

“Maybe you should consider that you are afraid of heights.”

Even if she could feel him shake, he didn’t cry, this time. There were tears in his eyes, but not one fell, or at least she didn’t notice if some fell. And when Blake jumped down, she patted his back, signaling him they were down and alright. But he didn’t move, holding on slightly tighter, even. She sighed, far too tired to deal with him.

“Come on, Bax, it’s like six in the morning, I just want to go back to sleep” she sighed as she tentatively rubbed his back, but again, he didn’t budge. “What are you even doing outside at six in the morning?”

“I wasn’t tired anymore” he simply answered, deep in Blake’s neck.

“Well I am, so if you don’t let go, I’m still going back to bed.”

When he shrugged, she rolled her eyes as her head fell back, and she had to grit her teeth to stop herself from actually yell at a child who didn’t want to let go, but was interrupted by him nuzzling her neck.

“I want to take a nap. And I want you to do the purring thing” he said with a small, trembling voice.

Blake sighed again, rubbing a hand on her face. She _really_ needed to go back to bed. She couldn’t deal with anything right now. And so, she started walking back to the house.

“Magic word” she mumbled, hefting him in her arms.

“Please” he instantly answered.

“That’s settled, then. Let’s go take a nap.”

He nodded, and she swore she heard him sniffle quietly, but she only patted his back, climbing the stairs to the house. She quietly made her way through the living room, and when she walked in the hallway, she was face to face with a yawning, and really startled Kali, blinking at her.

“He got stuck in a tree again. Now, we’re going to take a nap” Blake grumbled, answering Kali’s silent question as she walked past her mother and opened her bedroom’s door.

Kali raised her hands in front of her as she spun on her heels, walking away down the hallway, and Blake stepped in the room, closing the door behind her. She silently made her way to the bed, and when Baxter heard Yang’s light snoring, he raised his head, looking at the blonde. Blake set a knee on the mattress and bent down, letting the boy crawl to the blonde, and Yang stirred in her sleep from the sudden movement, cracking one eye open.

“Baxter?” she asked, surprised, her voice cracking and rough from sleep.

He took the blonde’s left arm and snaked under it, his back to the blonde, and after Blake settled beside him, she pulled the covers over them.

“He got stuck in a tree” Blake answered in a sigh, gently reaching to wipe the tears from the scaled cheeks of the boy. “He wouldn’t let go, but I wanted to get back to sleep.”

The blonde hummed, her eye already closed, and Blake was sure she didn’t listened what she said, But Yang still held the boy close to her and kissed his head, sighing as she went back to sleep. She could feel Baxter’s stare, knowing his vibrant green eyes would stay on her until she did what she said, and after she settled in a comfortable position, she gave a small smile to Baxter, before taking a deep breath that was soon followed by a soft rumble. The boy smiled, too, and closed his eyes, taking Blake’s hand in his and bringing it next to his face, and he sighed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because Blake with knives. Yes.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I saw many people asking how many chapters this will be, and I will say it again but i'm still not sure, because I just keep adding to it. Again.
> 
> But there's at least 2 more chapters. At least.
> 
>  
> 
> P. S. In my fic, Yang went straight to Menagerie from Patch, so yeah. Yang miss her baby sister.

She woke up slowly, hearing a soft sigh and something bumping against her thigh. Blinking her eyes open, it took her a moment to remember that Blake had brought Baxter to bed with them, and she smiled fondly, pausing for a second, her hand hovering in the air just above the dark red head.

Baxter had cuddled Blake in his sleep, and the older faunus had wrapped her arm around him to keep him close to her. Seeing them like this, Yang was astonished. Never in her life had she ever thought that Blake was a cuddle monster. She was sleeping with her nose buried in his hair, her ears low on her head, and Baxter was holding her hand with both of his, as if he was thinking she would go away.

The boy twitched, sighing again, and under the covers he kicked Yang’s leg lightly, dreaming. Yang petted his hair gently, and he stopped moving, relaxing instantly with a deep sigh. And just as she looked up, Blake lazily blinked her eyes open, taking in a sharp breath as she grunted. Her amber eyes locked with Yang’s lilac one, and she smiled the softest smile, and Yang couldn’t believe how absolutely gorgeous she was, with the ray of the sun coating her head in gold that matched her eyes. The blonde smiled back, wondering what she did in her life to deserve waking up with this vision.

After a glance to Baxter, making sure he was still sleeping, she propped herself on her elbow, shifting closer and leaned down to kiss Blake, taking her lips with infinite care as she cupped the faunus’s cheek with her left hand. Blake hummed in the kiss, pleased, and her eyes fluttered open again when the blonde left her lips to kiss her forehead.

“Morning, beautiful” the blonde murmured against her skin, before kissing the tip of her nose and settling back beside them.

A single dark eyebrow rose, and an amused smile pulled Blake’s lips.

“Beautiful? I just woke up” she whispered back. “Good morning, by the way.”

Yang smiled, and she saw Blake’s hand unfold from under her own head and snake across the pillows, feeling her fingers slide in blonde, unruly hair, massaging slightly.

“I still mean it” Yang answered, winking.

 

**** 

 

“Who’s ready for another one?”

Sun and Baxter both shot their hands up, the boy nearly hitting Blake right in the face as he was sitting in her lap to eat. He insisted.

“Comin’ right up!” Yang smiled, holding the handle of the pan and making the pancake flip in the air, causing the young boy to gasp.

Blake shook her head with a small smile, cutting a piece of her pancake with the side of her fork then stabbed it, bringing it to her mouth. As she was cutting another piece, she could see Baxter eyeing her plate, and he kept shifting and toying with his fork. So when she raised the piece in the air, she could almost feel the boy holding his breath, and with a defeated sigh, she extended it towards him. He smiled a large smile, a loud gasp escaping his lips, and munched on the pancake Blake was offering quickly, as if he thought she would change her mind.

“That’s _so_ unfair! Blake, can I have a piece too?”

Blake snorted, returning to cutting a piece of her pancake without saying anything, and brought it to her mouth before Sun’s horrified gaze.

“No.”

“That’s my daughter” Ghira mused behind his newspaper. “For a second I wondered where she was.”

He glanced up at Blake with a small smile, and she pulled her tongue at him, making Baxter do a double take.

“Mom says it’s not polite to make grimaces” he frowned.

“And she is right” Kali said as she walked behind the island to pour a cup of tea. “Blake is being mean.”

“And she also says that it’s a good thing to share the good things” he continued as Yang slipped a pancake in his plate.

He cut a big piece of his pancake and gave it to Sun, who gasped audibly before devouring the piece, making Baxter laugh. He hummed as he raised his eyes to the ceiling, both hands flat on his stomach, his tail curling behind him.

“He is so much better than you” Sun whispered to Blake, making her snort as she ate another piece of her pancake, ignoring him. “Thanks, Bax! You’re my best friend, now!”

The boy’s face lit up with a bright smile and he returned to his pancake, his feet kicking under the counter. After a moment, Yang slipped a pancake in Sun’s plate, then in hers, sitting on a stool in front of Blake with a small sigh. Kali rested a hand on the blonde’s shoulder when she leaned over to set a cup of tea in front of Blake, then petted Yang’s head as she straightened her back before walking back to the table with her plate and her cup, sitting beside Ghira.

“I have to go in town again today” Kali announced, taking her fork in her hand. “Blake, do you mind keeping me company?”

Blake raised her eyebrows, swallowing her food before answering.

“I don’t, but I thought Dad had a day off, today?”

“I do, but I spent all my days in town. Today, I’m allowed to be lazy” Ghira answered as he stole a piece of Kali’s pancake.

But she didn’t mind. She never did.

 

**** 

 

“Mom, honestly. You really didn’t have to.”

Kali brushed her words aside, puffing a breath out.

“You’re going to leave for who knows how long, and I know you are low on money. So just thank me for all the supplies I’ve bought for you and think of it as me making sure you three don’t starve to death until you reach Mistral.”

Blake stared at her mother for a moment, as they were lazily making their way back to the house. She knew Kali was worried. Who wouldn’t be? But she knew it was more than that. She knew it was her leaving again that made her mother cringe, and she gently grabbed her mother’s arm.

“Thank you, Mom” Blake whispered before pulling her into her arms, leaning her cheek on her head.

Kali didn’t lose time to hug her tightly, the bag she was carrying set on the ground. They stayed like this for a long moment, not caring about the few people staring as they walked past them, Blake focused on the way her mother clung to her as if she was about to disappear. Gently, Blake pulled away, cupping her mother’s cheeks, looking into the wet amber eyes of Kali with a small smile.

“You know we’re leaving only in three days, at least.”

“I know, honey, I know, it’s just…” Kali sighed, resting one of her hands above Blake’s. “I’m trying to stay positive around your father, but it feels just like yesterday you were knocking on the door.”

She stayed silent for a second before glancing down, her ears folded back on her head.

“It feels like yesterday, and you’re already leaving” she finished in a soft murmur.

“Mom…” Blake started, but her voice cracked, and she had to take a deep breath and swallowed thickly, feeling her eyes prickle. “I wish I could stay, Mom. I really do. It’s my home, here” she tried to smile, and Kali did the same when she looked up. “But Ruby needs Yang, and Weiss needs us. I’ve already stayed too long here, and I don’t want the White Fang to hurt you. I could never forgive myself if it happened.”

It was Blake’s turn to glance down, her thumbs gently rubbing Kali’s cheekbones as she bit her lips, trying to calm her breathing.

“I promise we’ll come back, Mom” she managed after a moment, leaning her forehead against her mother’s. “I’ll bring the team back, because I want you and Dad to meet them. We’ll bake cookies for Ruby and Dad could play chess with Weiss. I want you to see how adorable Ruby’s ramblings are, and how good a person Weiss is.”

She straightened her head, feeling her throat so tight and her eyes filled with tears, threatening to fall.

“I promise it’s going to be alright, Mom. So please, _please_ don’t cry” Blake breathed, her voice trembling and weak as she felt a tear roll down her cheek.

Kali’s face scrunched up, a few tears spilling from her eyes but Blake’s thumbs were there to catch them, and with a small smile she reached up, and gently brushed her fingers against Blake’s cheek, catching the tear.

“You’re the one who’s crying” Kali tried to joke with a strangled voice.

Blake chocked a laugh, one of her hands leaving her mother’s face to rub at her eyes with Kali’s help.

“I hate making you cry” Blake said, still rubbing her eyes. “You deserve the world, and I keep making you cry.”

“Oh, honey, no” Kali whispered softly, and she cupped Blake’s cheeks, holding her in place so she could look in her daughter’s eyes. “I love you, Blake. And trust me when I say that I couldn’t ask for a better daughter. You are making us so proud, Blake, and I’m not crying because I’m sad, I’m crying because I’m worried.”

Blake sniffled quietly, leaning into her mother’s touch, and one of Kali’s hands slipped from her cheek to hold her chin in a soft grip, tapping her thumb twice.

“You are the best thing I made in this world, honey. And I’m worried even if I know you can handle yourself. Am I clear?”

Blake nodded silently, pressing her hand on top of her mother’s. Kali took a moment to look at her, her eyes tracing every lines of her face and she smiled, nodding slightly.

“Okay” she breathed. “Let’s go back home, then.”

But before Kali could pull away, Blake took her hand and kissed the back of it, squeezing her hand tightly in hers.

“I love you, Mom” she murmured.

Kali smiled, her ears standing tall on her head.

“Come on” she said, pulling gently on her hand.

Blake bent down and took the forgotten bag at their feet, and they started down the hill again, Blake still holding her mother’s hand.

 

**** 

 

Blake was almost glued to her mother for the biggest part of the day, until Kali shooed her away. And so, Blake stepped outside on the front porch with a book, falling in the hammock chair with a sigh, and Ghira looked up for a second before returning his attention to the book on his lap. She took a moment to enjoy the breeze, somewhat cooler gusts of wind blowing in the heat of the day, and Blake knew it was going to rain later that night. She looked up, seeing the few clouds in the sky travel slowly, then closed her eyes when another gust of wind made the leaves rustle.

“Are you alright?”

The deep, hushed voice of her father made her open her eyes, looking down at him. Leaning his elbow on the arm rest to be just slightly closer to her, he looked at her with his eyebrows furrowed, his book still open but left on his lap.

“Yes, I’m just… thinking” Blake answered in the same way, shifting in her seat to lean closer to him.

He hummed, nodding as he straightened his back, returning to his book. With a second of hesitation, he reached his hand to her, setting it on her knee, and he looked unsure if it was alright for him to do that, but Blake gently took his hand in hers, and she could see his lips slightly turn upward. Leaving her book aside, Blake looked at her father’s hand. She always liked his hands; so big and large and powerful, she sometimes wondered how they could touch her or her mother with as much gentleness and delicately as they did.

She turned his hand over, running the tips of her fingers across his palm, following the lines and feeling the rough pads at the base of his fingers. She ran a finger along a scar, a whitish line that started in the hollow between his thumb and forefinger and crossed down his palm, stopping near his wrist. A souvenir of the throwing knife lesson she had given Ghira, years ago, that went wrong. She smiled, remembering how panicked her mother had been as her father had walked in the house, holding his bloodied hand with a stoic face, and she could also remember her mother threatening Ghira for him to never touch a throwing knife ever again.

And he actually never did. Kali could be quite persuasive.

“Dad?”

She raised her head, realising at that moment he had been watching her, and he hummed, raising his eyebrows in a silent question.

“What happened to Baxter’s dad and uncle?”

His eyebrows rose even more up on his forehead, clearly not expecting that question, and he shifted as he quietly cleared his throat.

“I gave them a choice. Jail for a couple of months, maybe a year, or banishment. They choose their freedom.”

It was Blake’s turn to raise her eyebrows, astonished, and Ghira frowned, his free hand coming up to scratch his chin through his beard.

“I actually never thought they would choose to be banished.”

“You let them _choose_?” Blake couldn’t believe what she just heard. “And just a year in jail? Dad, what they did to Yang-”

“I know, kitten” Ghira interrupted, squeezing her hand gently. “I’m with you on this. But you have to understand, and I’m really sorry to say that, but; she’s a human in Menagerie. She doesn’t belong here. More than half the people in town wanted what happened, and I can do so much without a riot.”

She stared at him hardly, closing her mouth with a dry clack, but she knew he was right. And after a moment she glanced down, toying with the fingers of Ghira’s hand.

“So they left” she finally said, keeping her eyes down.

She heard her father sigh and the chair creak when he sat back in it.

“Yes. They almost looked excited. Duncan, Baxter’s father, took the time to say goodbye to his family. Seth, his uncle, didn’t even bother seeing his wife before they left. I had to tell her myself.”

But Blake was already in her own head, thinking about the situation. Baxter’s dad left a few days ago, and now they were leaving too.

God, this day would never end. It started so nicely, though.

 

**** 

 

“You’re leaving?”

Baxter pouted slightly in front of Blake and Yang, both sitting on the last step of the stairs. Blake nodded soberly, and she could see the blonde nipping at her lip, her thumb nail digging into the skin of her index finger.

“When will you be back? In a few days?” he asked, hopeful.

“Sweetheart, you remember when we showed you Remnant’s map, right?” Yang started, waiting for him to nod. “You remember how long we said it would be to travel from place to place? We can’t use my bike to travel, because there’s three of us plus the luggage. We have to go on foot.”

They could already see his hopeful expression fall as he slowly understood what they were trying to say, but Yang keep on talking.

“And after getting to Ruby in Mistral, we have to find Weiss and we have no idea where she is. It could take… weeks. Months.”

“Years, maybe” Blake added quietly. “There could be some… problems, on the way.”

She meant the White Fang and Yang knew it, but she didn’t narrow it down. Grimms could be a problem too. So many things could go wrong, out there.

“Years?” he repeated, blinking.

“It might not go that far, we’re just throwing it in the air” Yang quickly stepped in, flashing a glance at Blake.

He was staring at the ground, squeezing his fists tightly, and when he took a step back, his lips pinched in a thin line, Blake felt her ears droop.

“Bax-”

“No!” he yelled as he suddenly raised his head, staring her dead in the eyes, and she recoiled, surprised by his loud yell. “No! You can’t leave! Who will show me how to use my knife?”

The two women shared a glance, and Blake felt her shoulders drop. When they looked back, Baxter’s face was as red as his hair, his eyes filled with tears as he stomped a little.

“I don’t want you to leave!”

“Sweetie, we have to” Yang tried, but he only shook his head violently, taking a few steps back.

“No!”

Some of the tears fell, rolling down his cheeks as he shook his head again, sniffling loudly, his face twisting and his mouth opening and closing. Yang leaned over, reaching a hand to him, and was about to stand when he turned on his heels, and sprinted away from them, on the dusty road leading to town.

“Baxter!” Yang called as she quickly stood, concern clear on her face.

But he kept on running, disappearing behind the nearby houses. The blonde cursed under her breath, running her left hand in her hair, scratching the back of it with a deep sigh. After a moment, she turned on her heels, seeing Blake’s ears flat on her head, and she had pulled up her legs up, holding her knees against her chest and she was leaning her cheek against it.

“Are you okay?” the blonde asked, taking a small step towards the faunus.

Amber eyes glanced up at her for a second, and Blake turned her face away.

“Feeling things suck. I feel like I got hit by a truck.”

For someone who knew so many words, she hated not knowing how to describe what she was feeling, and she heard Yang chuckle weakly.

“Heh, same.”

“I guess that’s why I always left without saying goodbye” Blake murmured.

She could hear the blonde hold her breath for a second, and she could feel her stare at the back of her head, but Yang stepped closer.

“You mean to tell me that you didn’t feel anything when you left?” the blonde asked, skeptical.

Blake felt her ears flush against her head as Yang sat down beside her, and she carefully took a breath before answering.

“I guess it was a different truck. Hitting me in the back. It’s different” she finished in a mumble.

She felt the blonde’s hand on her back, large and comforting as she rubbed in small circles.

“So much for the girl who said she didn’t like kids” Yang said quietly, and Blake slowly turned her head her way, glaring at her.

“Fine, maybe I do care about him; doesn’t mean I suddenly like kids” Blake spat out. “Doesn’t it affect you?”

The blonde smiled, small and tired, never stopping her soothing motion.

“Of course it does, Blake. I guess I’m just used to feel things” she sighed, shrugging.

She glanced down for a second, and Blake butted her head against her shoulder, leaning on her side. But they didn’t stay there long: the clouds where darkening the sky, low and heavy, and the rain that Blake had predicted started, a single drop falling on Yang’s shoulder. Then, another fell on Blake’s cat ear, and another one on the blonde’s forehead when she looked up, and it only seemed to start raining harder. Quickly, they climbed on the porch, protected by its roof, and they settled in the hammock chair, cuddling close.

Kali poked her head outside later to tell them that dinner was ready, but they both told her they weren’t hungry, and after her mother walked back inside, Blake closed her eyes, listening to the soothing sound of the rain.

 

**** 

 

She woke up slowly, awakened by the sound of soft whispers. She also noticed that it wasn’t raining as hard as it has, the raindrops making a soft tumble against the roof.

“Can I climb on with you?”

“Of course, little man. Come here” she heard Yang whisper before the hammock shifted.

She didn’t open her eyes, but she recognized Baxter’s voice, small and tight, and after a few seconds of shifting, she felt the boy settle between them, his head resting against the blonde’s shoulder probably, because Blake could feel his hair tickling her nose.

“It’s kinda late, Bax. Aren’t you supposed to be home?”

“I told Mom I would be with you” Blake felt him shrug.

Yang hummed, and they stayed silent for a moment. Blake could feel the hammock sway gently, rocking them through the silence.

“I’m sorry I yelled at Blake” the boy said after a moment, keeping his voice quiet. “I know she doesn’t like when people yell.”

The blonde hummed again, and Blake knew without looking that Yang was rubbing his back gently.

“I’m glad you apologised, but you should tell her, not me.”

“She’s still sleeping” Baxter said after a second, as if he checked.

“Then let’s wait for her to wake up.”

And another silence fell on them. Yang kept making the hammock swinging slightly, and with the mix of the sound of the rain and the blonde’s warmth enveloping her, Blake felt lulled to sleep, dozing off, but just as she felt like she was falling asleep, Baxter’s small, quiet voice rose again.

“Do you _really_ have to go?”

Yang chuckled, but it sounded kind of off, and she finished with a sigh, shifting slightly.

“I wish we didn’t have to, Bax” she started softly. “This place… I like this place. But I really miss my sister, Ruby. I didn’t see her for… a really long time. And Weiss may be in trouble. We want to help her. And… there are um… some bad guys that are angry at Blake, well, at us I guess, so we can’t stay at the same spot for too long. Do you understand?”

“What did she do to make them angry?” he asked, curious.

Blake tensed, opening her eyes, and probably that Yang felt it because she leaned her head on top of hers, placing a kiss right between her ears. She stalled there, buying some time to find what she could say.

“It’s, um…” she hesitated. “You know, Bax, with every person you meet, you develop a relationship” she decided to say instead. “All sorts of relationships. Sometimes, it’s as simple as just waving to that single person that you walk past every day to go to work. Sometimes, it’s a stronger relationship: like family, friends. Some relationships are good, some are bad. Some start good, then turns bad.”

“Why are they turning bad?”

Yang shrugged and Blake snuggled closer, snaking her arms around Yang’s left arm as she slid her fingers down to the blonde’s palm. If Yang didn’t knew she was awake before, she didn’t show it, instead humming thoughtfully as she tried to find the right answer.

“I guess… I guess it’s because people change. Some change faster than others, and more drastically, but everyone changes. All our life, we gather experience, knowledge. Like you” she said, and Blake could hear the smile in her voice. “Now, you know that you’re afraid of heights. So, you’re not gonna climb trees anymore. See? Changing.”

“Changes can be as anything else: good or bad. A once good person can change in a bad way, and I guess the other way around is possible, too. And, well… Blake was with some people, before I knew her. There was this guy, you see: she told me that he was good, once. They had a good relationship. But at some point, he changed, and their relationship changed, too.”

Yang sighed, allowing a small silence to fall on them for a few seconds.

“Blake realised they had a bad relationship and she left, because she didn’t felt safe, anymore. But the guy is angry that she left.”

“But why is he angry if he was bad?” the boy asked, sounding confused.

The blonde chuckled again, and she squeezed Blake’s hand gently.

“You’re asking tough questions, Bax” she said as she leaned down to leave a kiss on top of his head. “I don’t know, sweetie. But… Many times in life, it’s just a question of point of view. Maybe he thinks that Blake is the bad guy, and that’s why he’s angry. Bad guys often don’t see they’re bad guys.”

“But Blake isn’t bad, she’s good!” Baxter exclaimed, sounding a little angry himself, and Yang shushed him gently.

“I know, sweetie.”

“It’s unfair” the boy complained, his voice low and quiet again.

Yang let out a deep sigh, and it took a long moment before answering.

“I don’t want to throw you off, Bax, you’re just a child. But, soon, you’ll realise that life…” she paused, and Blake could hear the gears and panels of the blonde’s prosthetic clicking, “isn’t always fair.”

Blake decided to step in, propping her chin on Yang’s shoulder. This conversation was already dark; it didn’t need to get darker. Her simple movement seemed to work, because Yang turned her head towards her, their faces inches apart, and even though the blonde had a strange look in her eyes, she still smiled softly.

“But even if life’s unfair sometimes, there’s still good things” she murmured before leaning in to kiss Blake softly. “And I’m not sharing this good thing, Bax. Sorry.”

And Baxter laughed quietly, shifting on the blonde’s lap so he could see Blake, too.

 

**** 

 

Rolling on her side, she patted blindly besides her, searching for the warmth she wanted to cuddle, but as she patted farther and farther away, the spot was empty, with just a trace of warmth remaining. She opened her eyes just as a thud was heard, then a flow of hushed curses, and she looked over her shoulder, seeing Yang with one knee to the ground, holding her foot in her hand as she cursed through gritted teeth.

“Yang? What are you doing?” Blake asked as she cleared her throat, propping herself on her elbow.

The blonde’s head shot up as she grimaced, straightening her back.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you” she whispered. “I’m starving, and I wanted to sneak something from the kitchen but… I bumped my toe in… something.”

The blonde frowned, patting around her, her hand finding one of the legs of the chair, and she leaned on it to get back to her feet.

“Don’t you have street lights, in Menagerie? I can’t see past my nose” Yang mumbled.

She was patting the wall in front of her, trying to find the door, but Blake didn’t help her. She was enjoying this a little too much.

“Why would we need street lights?” she asked, instead.

“Uh, duh? Because?”

“We don’t need street lights.”

“What?”

Blake sat at the edge of the bed while Yang turned on her heels, and she could see the annoyed expression of the blonde wash away when she locked her eyes with her.

“Oh, right” Yang breathed, leaning her back against the wall. “Faunus can see in the dark. Look, I’m barely awake and I’m starving. Stop torturing me and help me.”

Blake chuckled as she stood, stretching slightly as she made her way to Yang.

“How come you can’t see?” Blake asked quietly, yawning.

“Well, look outside. There’s no moon, no stars. The clouds are hiding them.”

The faunus glanced outside, and she saw that the blonde was right; every inch of the sky was covered by the dark, heavy clouds, and for a second, she feared there would be a thunderstorm later. But her worries flew away when she heard the loud growl of Yang’s stomach, raising her eyebrows in surprise. The blonde smiled weakly, grimacing again.

“Come on” Blake chuckled softly, taking the blonde’s hand. “I’ll be your eyes.”

And they made their way to the kitchen, Yang’s shoulder bumping on the doorway, and Blake laughed as she apologised.

“I’m never letting you drive” Yang mumbled as she rubbed her shoulder, but she was trying to hide her smile. “Even if you can see, you drive like you’re drunk.”

“First: I’m not driving, I’m guiding you. Second: if I kiss the pain away, will you stop complaining?”

Yang snorted, but Blake still leaned close, and true to her words, gently kissed the blonde’s shoulder.

“So if you make me run in a door and my face gets bashed in it, you’ll kiss the pain away too?”

The faunus chuckled against her skin, and she looked up, seeing the blonde swallowing.

She guessed that if she was in Yang’s shoes right now, seeing glowing yellow eyes staring straight at her when they were so close, she would take a moment, too.

“You don’t need to hurt your face for me to do that” she smiled, keeping her voice low and hushed as her lips traveled from her shoulder to her neck.

She heard Yang’s sharp intake of air, feeling her pulse jump against her lips, and Blake made the blonde step back until her back hit the kitchen island. She felt Yang grab her hips and pulled her close when Blake grazed her teeth down her neck, the blonde gasping quietly.

“We talked about my face, but my neck is okay too” the blonde murmured, her eyes closed. “So okay.”

The faunus laughed against her skin, and it sounded like a purr even to her.

“You like that?” she asked, looking up.

She saw the blonde smirk, chuckling.

“Who wouldn’t?”

Blake snorted, leaving the blonde’s neck to kiss her lips, one of her hands snaking behind Yang’s neck to hold her there, her other hand resting on the blonde’s hip, her fingers toying with the hem of her tank top. When she felt the blonde graze her teeth on her lips, she pulled away, catching her breath as she felt her heart hammering in her chest, her eyes locked with Yang’s.

“You okay?” the blonde asked, her left hand going up blindly to cup her cheek.

“Yes, it’s just… don’t bite.”

“Oh” Yang’s hand stilled for a second. “Oh, okay, I’m sorry, I won’t do it aga-”

“It’s not because I don’t like it, it’s… the opposite. I _really_ like it.”

She saw Yang blink twice, then her eyebrows raised high on her forehead.

“ _Oh_.”

Then, a smile full of mischief pulled her lips as she leaned closer, brushing her lips against Blake’s human ear.

“I’ll keep that in mind” she murmured right in her ear, and Blake felt a shiver run down her spine.

And she trailed kisses down the faunus’s neck, her prosthetic hand coming up, with her thumb under Blake’s chin, holding her head so her neck would be exposed. The blonde’s left hand traveled down along Blake’s side, returning to her hip while the faunus slipped her hands under the blonde’s tank top, sliding her palms across her stomach, causing Yang to gasp and Blake to grin.

“I wanted to do this for a while” the faunus whispered, her fingers tracing the defined abs of the blonde.

Yang hummed, her grip on the faunus’s hip tightening slightly.

“I’ve been thinking” the blonde murmured against Blake’s skin, stalling near her collarbone. “If I just… you know, graze my teeth… it’s not a bite, right?”

“Yang-”

A loud gasp interrupted her when she felt the blonde’s teeth brush against her skin, in just the slighted bite against her collarbone, and clawed at the blonde’s stomach in reflex, her nails racking her skin, making Yang hum in surprise.

“Holy shit, Blake” Yang chuckled quietly. “You really _do_ like it.”

The faunus didn’t bother answering, instead crashing her lips against the blonde’s, and she could feel Yang smile against her lips. Her hands traveled under Yang’s shirt, feeling every inch of skin, but just when her fingers bumped against her sport bra, she felt Yang’s hands slide down, stopping just under the cheeks of her ass and lifted her in her arm, Blake letting a small yelp of surprise.

“Yang, the doctor said-”

“It’s not lifting when you weight nothing” Yang countered as she stepped across the kitchen.

Holding the faunus against her with her right arm, she extended her left behind Blake, searching blindly until her hand hit the edge of the counter, setting the faunus down on it without checking if there was something, and something fell in the sink. Something metallic, that made a really loud clatter. Or maybe it was loud just to Blake’s ears.

Blake grabbed Yang’s wrists, shushing her when she started to laugh, and she waited, perking her ears. Nothing. Except for their panted breaths, there was no other sound. Returning her attention to Yang, Blake saw the blonde smile widely, and a strange giddiness rose inside her. They started giggling and Blake pulled the blonde to her lips, looping her legs around Yang and linking her ankles together. She felt the rough, large palm of the blonde slip under her shirt, and Yang’s lips left hers to wander along her neck, then down to her collarbones with just a hint of teeth.

The faunus closed her eyes, and she had a hard time to remember not to pull Yang’s hair, instead grabbing the edge of the counter while her other hand clutched the back of the blonde’s tank top. The blonde’s mouth was still wandering down, and Blake’s breath caught in her throat when she felt the warm lips starting the curve of her breast, the blonde’s palm cupping the other.

Until someone cleared their throat.

Blake froze, her eyes opening wide as Yang jumped, pulling away, and Blake’s legs dangling off the edge of the counter. The faunus took a moment to focus, then looked at the side, towards the kitchen’s doorway, noticing the expression of utmost horror on Yang’s face on the way.

“And here I thought we were getting robbed. Or worst, after you told me you were afraid the White Fang would do something to us.”

“Mom” Blake whispered, quickly pulling her shirt back in place.

“But no” Kali continued as she walked in the kitchen, dropping a baseball bat as she fell in a chair. “It’s just my daughter and her girlfriend about to have sex in my kitchen.”

She sighed as she ran a hand in her hair, looking up at her daughter while Blake climbed down the counter, holding her arms against her chest.

“Why the kitchen?” she asked in disbelief. “You have a bedroom in that very hallway! What are you even doing in the kitchen? It’s three thirty in the morning.”

“It’s, um… I was hungry” Yang started. “We wanted something to eat but, I guess… it got a little out of hand.”

Kali snorted, and Blake saw her mother hide her face in her hands, and she started cackling as Yang looked over at Blake, worried.

“Oh, goodness, I’m tired” the older woman finally sighed through the remnant of her laughter, straightening her back. “I was about to say, you-” she cackled again, this time fighting to control her breathing long enough to finish her sentence. “You were about to eat something alright!”

Blake felt her face lit up with a bright blush as her mother resumed her maniacal laughing, and she glanced at Yang, seeing the blonde staring at her mother with a mix of amusement and concern as she tried to hide her smile. Yang looked at her, and she smiled.

“Did I tell you I like your mother?”

Blake narrowed her eyes, swatting her arm.

“Don’t encourage her.”

 

****

 

“Hey, um… Do you wanna go on a date with me?”

Blake raised her eyebrows as she looked up from her book at Yang. The blonde was sitting beside her, toying with her prosthetic fingers with pinched lips, her eyebrows furrowed.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to go in town, Yang” Blake quietly said, one of her hands resting gently on the blonde’s arm.

Yang chuckled, setting a hand on the faunus’s thigh.

“Town wasn’t what I had in mind” the blonde smiled. “I asked Kali for ideas, and asked Ghira for a map, so… what about we go on a date around Menagerie? Do a little sightseeing?”

The faunus tilted her head to the side, a small smile pulling her lips as she closed her book slowly.

“Really? Around the island?”

“Yeah?” Yang smiled, too. “If you’re willing to ride all day, that is. It’s going to take four to five hours, if we go without stopping, but I wanted to stop at some key points, so… All day.”

The faunus closed her book, her smile inching larger.

“When are we going, then?”

“Whenever you’re ready” Yang said as she straightened her back. “I’ve already prepared lunch and some snacks.”

“Already?”

“I had a pretty good intuition you were going to say yes” she shrugged with a smirk.

Blake set her book aside, glancing out the window as she stood. It was just before lunch, and the clouds that covered the sky the night before had passed, and today the sun was bright and the day was warm. She looked back at the blonde, extending her hand to her.

“Let’s go, then” she smiled and when Yang took her hand, she placed a soft kiss in her palm before standing.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a little longer, but hey.
> 
> The next chapter will be a little different than the rest, so there's that. and, I guess there'll be two more chapters.
> 
> Again.
> 
> Anyway. Don't worry, people, there's going to be a happy ending!

“You thought I was Ghira, didn’t you?”

Yang looked up at Kali, frowning as she set the lunch box in the bottom of the small trunk, under the bike’s seat.

“What?”

“Last night, when I walked in on you” the faunus explained, a glint of mischief in her eyes. “At first, you thought it was Ghira.”

“I… Well…” Yang stammered, straightening her back.

“Oh, your face was priceless” Kali chuckled as she set a gentle hand on the blonde’s arm. “I never thought I could inspire fear to someone.”

“Could you stop having fun at her expense, Mom?” Blake sighed as she shook her head, pulling out both yellow and red helmets from the trunk.

“I’m really sorry honey, but it’s not every day it happens. Let me enjoy my moment of power.”

“I did think it was your father, Blake” Yang chuckled, winking at Kali. “But then I realised that the eyes were lower than they were supposed to be, if it was Ghira. So the fear was there, but short lived.”

Kali pouted slightly, and Yang closed the trunk with a smile as Blake gave her the yellow helmet.

“It might be a little small” Yang said, pointing at the red helmet in Blake’s hands. “It’s Ruby’s. She has a little, tiny head.”

The blonde was worried for Blake’s cat ears, even though she didn’t say it explicitly. But Blake smiled, folding her ears as close as she could against her head, then putting on the helmet, clipping it under her chin before slipping on the ridiculously large sunglasses Yang had given her. With the straightest face she could make, she looked over at Yang, then at her mother, her hands on her hips.

“How do I look?”

They both blinked, and Blake could see her mother bite the inside of her cheek as she slipped her right hand in her left sleeve, hiding her hands.

“You look… Exquisite.”

Yang snorted, then she bitted her lips as she nodded, trying to contain her laugh. The door slammed open behind her, and Blake looked over her shoulder to see Sun jumping down the stairs.

“Hey guys I heard- Blake, what the fuck?”

Blake raised a single eyebrow, a small smile tugging at her lips as she glance at her mother.

“Exquisite, huh?” she whispered, and Kali shrugged, her smile far too large.

“You’ll always look exquisite to me, Blake” Yang said before chuckling, hiding behind her helmet.

“Okay, that’s enough” Blake said, stepping closer to the blonde. “I want to see myself.”

“I have to take a picture of this” Sun said at the same time, pulling out his scroll from his pocket.

“Wait I’ll put my helmet on!” the blonde quickly did what she had said, sliding her sunglasses on. “Ready.”

She wrapped her arm around Blake’s waist and pulled her closer, then made a thumb up with her prosthetic in front of her with her trademark bright, charming smile, and Blake couldn’t do much except shake her head, and do the same thing, posing for Sun. Kali went to Sun’s side, standing on tip toes to see on the scroll as Blake heard the camera click, then Sun starting to cackle.

“You look ridiculous, Blake” he wheezed as he extended his scroll to her.

“It’s not that bad” Yang countered, looking down at the picture.

Blake pulled on her glasses so she could see above them, then she frowned.

“It’s the sunglasses. They don’t match. Yours would do a much better job” the faunus announced as she looked up at the blonde.

With a snort, Yang pulled on hers and gave them to Blake, taking the ones on the faunus’s nose. When the switch was done, Blake took the scroll from Sun’s hand, looking at herself, nodding with satisfaction.

“Much better.”

Then, Yang popped her head in the frame with a large smile, and Blake taped on the screen, the camera clicking again. With a soft laugh, she gave the scroll back to Sun, then stepped closer to the bike, followed by Yang.

“I think it’s going to be the first time you ride Bumblebee, right?” the blonde asked, and Blake nodded.

“Bumblebee?” Kali asked, tilting her head to the side beside Sun.

“My bike” Yang smiled proudly, dropping a hand on the leather seat.

“Why Bumblebee?”

“Because it’s yellow and black.”

Kali hummed, her eyes looking over the bike, then up at Blake and Yang.

“Like you hair” she pointed at their heads, raising her eyebrows.

“Well, I guess that’s why Ruby calls us Bumblebee” Blake smiled as she glanced up at the blonde who winked at her.

Kali hummed again, stepping closer to them.

“Well then, off you go” she said as she gently gripped Blake’s chin, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Be good” she whispered in her daughter’s hear.

When Blake frowned, Kali smiled, a sly look in her eyes.

“I know where your hands will be when you ride. Don’t make her crash; I want to see you both again.”

Her daughter blushed a deep shade of red as she laughed, moving to Yang to hug her gently, feeling the blonde patting her back.

“Have a nice day, little bees” she smiled, squeezing Yang’s shoulders one last time before pulling away.

The blonde smiled widely, then went to climb on the bike as Kali tapped two fingers under her daughter’s chin with a wink, noticing her still pink cheeks. Then, Sun stepped closer, his tail hung low.

“I can’t go with you, huh?” he asked.

“It’s a date, Sun” Yang answered him, pulling her keys from her pocket. “You’ll feel pretty third wheel. Besides, there are only two seats: one for the driver, and one for the pretty lady” she says, pointing over her shoulder at Blake with her thumb. “As far as I know…” she started the engine, reviving it a few times as she looked over her sunglasses. “You’re not a lady.”

“You think I’m pretty?” he gasped, his tail curling behind him as he brought a hand to his chest.

Yang laughed as Blake climbed behind her, and when she felt the faunus snake her arms around her, the blonde glanced over her shoulder.

“Ready?”

“Ready” Blake nodded, smiling.

With one last wave to Sun and Kali, they started towards the road that went along the beach, raising a cloud of dust behind them.

 

**** 

 

“Ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be” the blonde murmured, taking in a deep breath.

“Don’t move” Blake ordered softly.

Yang nodded, and Blake steadied her breath, letting out a long, deliberately slow exhale.

“Open your mouth” she ordered again, and smiled when the blonde did.

Blake took a breath, then let it out slowly again, her eyes focused on Yang, and as quick as lightning, she threw the grape she was holding, the small fruit traveling the distance and finishing it’s course right in the blonde’s mouth, startling her.

“Oh my God you did it!” Yang exclaimed as she threw her hands in the air above her head, munching on the grape as she walked the five meters distance between them. “You are _such_ a good shot! You have to play dart. We could make money out of people because of it!”

The faunus laughed when Yang finally reached her and wrapped her in a hug, peppering kisses on her face.

“I prefer pool” Blake said smoothly, throwing another grape in the air for Yang to catch.

“Pool’s nice, too” the blonde nodded after catching it. “I totally have to take you to a bar, one day. I want to see you drunk.”

The faunus snorted, bringing a grape to her mouth, then offering another one to Yang.

“I don’t really like alcohol. I’ve only drink what my father have, which is something very strong and very old. And one time, when I was with the White fang, someone made this… disgusting whisky. It was so poorly made; I thought I was going to be blind after the first shot.”

“Aren’t you a little young to drink?”

“Says the girl who went to many bars, already.”

“Well, you’re not wrong” Yang nodded.

Blake chuckled, twisting in the blonde’s arms so she could admire the view. They were up a cliff, on a spot of tall grass a little farther from the road. Yang had brought a blanket with them, and she had laid it down for them to sit on it as they ate. The sun was still high in the sky, and they had already made a few stops already, but they were about halfway, according to Ghira’s map. They gathered their stuff as they finished the grapes, putting their helmets back on then driving up the road again.

They were, for the most part, alone on the road, so they could travel faster from place to place. The road ran along the coast, and Blake couldn’t take her eyes away from it, seeing the sun reflecting on the ocean, the waves so far that it seemed mostly still, sometimes ripped by the reef, and even with the distance she could see the waves crashing into it, splashing around. They covered more ground, Blake honestly couldn’t care less about how much time passed, and the reef was transformed into a long, smooth beach of white sand, describing an arc around the bay, and when they neared it, Yang took a small trail the lead towards it.

“We’re making another stop?” Blake asked, her voice loud enough so Yang could hear through the wind.

The blonde shot her a glance above her shoulder, her eyebrows raised.

“Don’t you want to walk a little? We’ve been on the road for an hour and a half.”

The faunus raised her eyebrows too, surprised, and Yang laughed.

“Besides, Ghira told me to stop here” she said as she stopped the bike, setting a foot on the ground as she killed the engine. “He said you would like it.”

She pulled off her helmet, sighing as she shook her head to make her hair fall in place, and waited for Blake to climb off before doing so, leaving her helmet on the bike’s seat.

“He said we had to turn left when we would get on the beach” Yang said as she stretched, grunting quietly. “Ready for an adventure?” she asked, offering her hand to Blake with a smile.

The faunus took it, leaving her helmet and her sunglasses with the bike as they started on the beach. They turned left, like Ghira had instructed, and they were closing on the base of another cliff, the stone dark and wet. But as they got closer, Blake slowed her pace, and she was frowning as she kept staring at the rocks.

“Wait, I know this place” she murmured, her eyes trailing on the side of the cliff.

“Really?” Yang asked, her eyes searching, too.

“Well, it’s not like I’ve been here before, but… it looks familiar” the faunus said, and she started walking faster.

Yang matched her pace easily, smiling. As they got closer and closer, the sound of the crashing waves grew louder, sending small clouds of water on them. And suddenly, Blake stopped in her tracks, a large smile on her lips.

“I remember! It’s a picture of my mom! And she’s standing…” Blake let go of the blonde’s hand to jog closer, climbing on a few rocks at the base of the cliff. “Right here, like this!”

And she stood tall with her hands on her hips, smiling widely before laughing softly.

“Mom always looks happy in her pictures, but I really liked this one. Every time I looked at it, I _felt_ happy.”

She sighed, a soft smile on her lips as she turned on her heels, looking at the rock’s side, and when she started walking on the edge, one of the stone moved, then slipped, and Blake yelped in surprise as she fell behind the rocks.

“Blake!” Yang called, worried as she ran closer. “Are you alright? Blake!”

When there was no answer, she climbed quickly, cursing under her breath, and as she was about to reach the top, Blake’s head popped above it, a wide smile on her lips.

“Yang! You _have_ to see this!”

“Goddammit, Blake” the blonde sighed in relief. “Why didn’t you answer me?”

The faunus grimaced, a small, apologetic smile on her lips.

“Sorry. But come on!”

And the faunus reached out, taking her hand and pulling until the blonde was beside her, and Yang followed the direction Blake pointed.

“Grottos” the faunus whispered, her eyes shining.

Yang gasped, her smile matching Blake’s as the faunus clutched at her arm in excitement.

“Let’s go!” the blonde exclaimed, and they both started climbing down.

 

****

 

“I just realised that my dad sent us at the same place he had his first date with Mom” Blake thoughtfully said, toying with Yang’s fingers.

They were sitting at the base of a tree, watching the horizon as the sun was setting, sinking slowly in the ocean, painting the few clouds in the sky with orange and red.

“Really?”

Blake hummed as she nodded, snuggling closer to Yang with a content sigh. They stayed silent, watching until the sun disappeared, the sky darkening quickly. And the air getting colder. When Blake snuggled closer again, shivering slightly, the blonde laughed softly, kissing the top of her head.

“We still have at least half an hour to do” she informed the faunus. “Do you wanna get going, before it’s too cold for you?”

“What do you mean, ‘too cold for me’? Don’t you get cold too?”

Yang smirked, looking over at her as she winked.

“Nope.”

Blake stared at her for a moment, then narrowed her eyes.

“I don’t believe you.”

The blonde snorted, looking back at the horizon again.

“Fine, we can stay here until you’re so cold you can’t ride.”

The faunus punched her shoulder, making Yang laugh, before she pulled away and stood, offering her hand to help Yang to her feet.

“Let’s go home” Blake said quietly, a soft smile on her lips.

She pulled the blonde to her feet, and they paused, nose to nose, looking into each other’s eyes. Carefully, Yang brought her hand up, cupping Blake’s cheek, rubbing her rough thumb on the faunus’s cheekbone, and she could feel Blake lean into the touch, closing her eyes for a second.

“Did you enjoy our date?” Yang asked her in a hushed voice, smiling when Blake did.

“I did, thank you. It was amazing” the faunus answered in the same way. “I needed the evasion.”

“Good” the blonde nodded, leaning in to kiss her forehead. “We both needed it.”

And the faunus pulled her closer, wrapping her arms around her in a hug, hiding her face in the blonde’s neck.

 

****

 

They were driving slowly through the town, and when they pulled over in front of the Belladonna household, the bright headlight of the bike showed Kali sitting on the porch, hiding her face from the blinding light, and Yang quickly turned it off. Blake climbed off the bike first, pulling off her helmet.

“Were you waiting for us?” Blake asked her mother as she climbed up the stairs, hugging her.

“Yes and no” Kali answered, hugging her back. “How was your day?”

“We had a lot of fun” she smiled, looking over her shoulder at Yang who smiled widely. “It was really nice.”

“Good” Kali smiled. “You have a guest” she added, pointing at the hammock chair. “That’s the reason I’m still outside.”

Blake frowned, and she looked over at the hammock chair that Kali kept making swing gently at the same time Yang climbed on the porch. They both could see Baxter, sleeping soundly, curled up under a soft blanket that she was sure her mother had brought out after he fell asleep. The blonde stepped closer, making a cooing sound as she crouched beside the hammock, and Blake glanced at her mother.

“Did you tell him we were out for the day?”

“Of course, but he came back just a little after dinner, and he said he didn’t mind waiting.”

She sighed, glancing back to Yang, who was petting the boy’s head lightly, her chin resting on her prosthetic fist, a soft smile on her lips.

“Thanks for watching over him, Mom.”

Her mother smiled, standing from her chair and stretched as she tried to stifle her yawn, then walked closer, kissing Blake’s cheek, then petted Yang’s head.

“Goodnight, little bees” she smiled, then turned on her heels, starting inside the house before stopping, looking over her shoulder with a small smirk. “And please, don’t use the kitchen tonight. I need some sleep.”

Blake closed her eyes and sighed in exasperation, feeling her cheeks burning up as she heard Yang chuckle behind her.

“Could you stop embarrassing me, Mom?” she muttered as she rubbed her temple, refusing to meet her mother’s eyes.

“You are the one with almost super-hearing, and you still let your mother sneak up on us, Blake” Yang snickered. “She clearly has a right to.”

“I guess you were… distracted” Kali added with a wink, before fleeing from the glare her daughter sent her with a quiet laugh.

Blake shook her head as she sighed again, returning her attention on the sleeping boy. Yang looked up at her, and when she smiled, Blake could see the softness in her eyes. The faunus stepped closer, the blonde leaning her head against Blake’s thigh, and she ran her fingers through the golden mane, her eyes still focused on Baxter.

“I’ll bring him home” she said to her quietly.

Yang looked up with a small sigh, and Blake could see how tired she was after driving all day.

“Okay” she breathed. “I’ll empty the trunk, then I’m going to bed. I’m too tired to wait for you.”

Blake smiled, bending down to kiss the top of her head, then she stepped closer to the hammock, pulling the blanket aside as Yang stood, returning to her bike. She tried to shake his shoulder, but Baxter only mumbled, shifting to a more comfortable position. With a sigh, she slipped her hands under his arms and pulled him up to sit, and the boy barely opened his eyes.

“Blake?” he mumbled, leaning forward in her arms, and as soon as his head touched her shoulder, it seemed he had fallen back to sleep.

“Come on, Bax, help me a little” Blake muttered as she lifted him, the boy limp and heavy in her arms.

But he only sighed, snuggling closer, folding his arms against his chest and nuzzling Blake’s neck. The faunus wrapped an arm around him, to make sure he wouldn’t fall backward as she walked, and climbed down the stairs, stopping beside the blonde.

“Say hello to Yang?”

He lolled his head to the other side, cracking one eye open as the blonde leaned down to kiss his head, and he mumbled something that they both didn’t understand, making Blake chuckle.

“I feel you, little man” Yang smiled softly.

“Let’s get you to bed” Blake murmured in his ear as she started walking towards the road.

Baxter turned his head again, returning to his first position and nuzzling Blake’s neck, shivering slightly against her. The walk to Baxter’s house wasn’t long, and soon, she was standing in front of the door, knocking quietly as she hefted the sleeping boy up in her arms. She didn’t wait long; Blake heard footsteps coming as soon as her knuckled tapped on the door, and it took only a few seconds before the door opened.

Blake had already seen Baxter’s mother a few times, and last night, when they did just that, bringing back the boy after he fell asleep, they didn’t stay long. But now, as the door opened and the woman was there, smiling softly as her eyes fell on the boy sleeping in Blake’s arms, she couldn’t help getting this feeling. Like she saw her somewhere else.

“Come in” the woman said, opening the door wider.

Blake had supposed she would take the boy at the door and then Blake could leave, but apparently it’s not what she had in mind. What was her name again, Blake thought, racking her brain as she stepped silently in the house, following the woman to Baxter’s bedroom. Carefully, Blake set him down on the mattress, and he instantly curled on himself, moving and shifting until his head rested on a pillow, and after a second she pulled the blanket up to his shoulders, tucking him in.

_Julia. Her name’s Julia._

She followed Baxter’s mother to the front door, and Julia sat down in a chair, motioning for her to do the same, but Blake stayed up.

“I’m sorry it’s so late” she started. “We were out for the day. We just came back, but my mother was watching over him.”

The woman smiled, and cast her eyes down on the small candle that was burning on the table, a book set just beside it. She had been reading as she waited.

“Kali is such a nice woman” she smiled, speaking softly. “So kind.”

The light of the candle was shining in her eyes, and Blake realised that Baxter had her mother’s eyes and hair. When she looked up, it was then Blake was struck with a sudden realisation.

Except for the two small horns on her forehead, the woman sitting in front of her made her think of Pyrrha.

“I should go” Blake said quietly. “It’s late, and-”

“Blake” the woman called, interrupting her. “I should have said this yesterday, when you both were here, but… thank you.”

She stared at the older woman, blinking a few times before frowning.

“Why?”

The green, bright eyes stayed on her for a second, then glanced towards the hallway, the same kind smile on her lips.

“For showing my son that it’s not because of the mistake of one, everyone should be punished. His father didn’t see it that way.”

Blake took a moment before deciding to sit in a chair slowly, but before she could say anything, the other faunus beat her to it.

“I have nothing against humans. I know there’s good and bad humans, like there’s good and bad faunus. But… even I couldn’t make Duncan understand. And my words don’t really have weight with Baxter these days, so… Thank you.”

“You shouldn’t tell this to me” Blake said after a few seconds.

“I know” Julia grimaced. “But I thought you two would come, tonight.”

She looked at Blake with that kind smile, and for a second Blake glanced down, the ghost of Pyrrha passing in front of her eyes.

“I also wanted to thank you for explaining to him.”

“Explaining what?”

“For explaining the nature of your relationship with Yang.”

Blake sighed, feeling a headache settling right behind her eyes.

“Again, you shouldn’t tell this to me” she whispered.

“Could you tell her, then?”

Blake nodded silently, wondering why she stayed. She didn’t want to play messenger, and she thought about bringing Yang back the next day, when Julia’s voice rose.

“I also heard you were leaving.”

“Yes, in two days.”

The older woman hummed, nodding as she glanced back at the hallway.

“And you’re leaving long enough for him to be… very upset about it.”

Blake felt her ears droop slightly, and she shifted on her chair.

“I know” she breathed.

“He wasn’t even upset like that when his father left” the older woman scoffed. “Then again, Duncan was rarely home.”

Julia sighed, her eyes cast down as she toyed with the hem of her shirt.

“Duncan has always been a bit… aggressive. What he did to this poor girl…” she shook her head, and Blake tensed. “He tried to convince me it was for the greater good.”

She scoffed again, shaking her head.

“I can’t believe him” she murmured. “Then, he told me that being banished was a sign for him. That he had to join the White Fang. And he asked Baxter to do the same, when he would be older.”

A cold shiver ran down Blake’s spine, and she straightened her back so suddenly that Julia looked surprised.

“Don’t let Bax do that” she said, her voice tight and harsher than she meant. “Whatever happens, don’t let him join them. He deserves better.”

The older woman frowned, tilting her head to the side slightly.

“Weren’t you with them, before?”

Blake narrowed her eyes slightly before looking over, at the hallway.

“I was” she quietly let out. “They’re not what they used to be. Bax is a bright, kind kid. He’s smart. He deserve so much better than them.”

When she was met with silence, she glanced over, seeing Julia slowly nodding as she stared at her. And again, as Blake was about to speak, Julia beat her to it.

“I’m sick, Blake.”

The younger woman raised her eyebrows, shifting in her seat.

“Um… what kind of sickness?”

“The kind that kills you slowly.”

She locked her eyes with green ones for a second.

“Doctor Scarlatina-”

“Was the one who gave me the medicine I need. But it’s just slowing it down. I still have a few years in front of me, though.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Blake asked, her voice quiet.

“Because you care for him” the older woman simply answered. “I don’t trust the other members of the family with Baxter, and he doesn’t even like them, anyway. But he likes you. You, and Yang.”

“Julia…”

“I want you to look after him when I…” she grimaced slightly. “When I won’t be able to, anymore.”

“Why are you asking me this?” Blake exclaimed, then remembered the boy sleeping next door. “We barely know each other.”

The older woman smiled a small, tired smile.

“I barely know the rest of my family, but the only thing I know and I’m sure, is that they’re all proud partisan of the White Fang.”

Blake ran a hand in her hair, then rubbed her eyes as she sighed.

“I can’t promise that” she murmured.

“I’m not asking you to take him with you” Julia said. “I know you want to be a huntress. But if you could just check up on him… I would be forever grateful.”

The younger woman looked up, locking her eyes with bright green ones, before letting out a bone deep sigh.

“I’ll talk with Yang” she decided to let out.

 

****

 

She leaned her back against the door, sighing. Her conversation with Baxter’s mother had drained her in more ways than she thought, and the simple thought of her bed was enough to make her want to cry.

So much for a nice day out.

She looked over at her bed, seeing the tall blonde already asleep, the blankets kicked off of her, except for one leg. Yang had brought the covers in her arms, hugging them in her sleep, one knee resting on top of it, and Yang’s orange tank top seemed to never be able to stay down when the blonde was asleep, and Blake could see her powerful back, still defined even in her sleep. The soft rays of the moon was sculpting her, sending shadows on her skin, coating Yang in silver.

Quickly, Blake changed into her sleepwear, and instead of going to her side of the bed, she climbed right behind Yang, pressing herself against her back as she snaked an arm under the blonde head after gently setting her wild mane aside.

“Blake?” Yang mumbled, surprised. “What are you doing?”

Her voice was low, raspy from sleep, and Blake only pressed closer, nuzzling the back of her neck as she slotted her knee right behind Yang’s.

“I just wanted to be close to you” she whispered, kissing softly under her ear.

The blonde hummed, seeming to go back to sleep, but when the faunus wrapped an arm around her waist, sliding her palm across the blonde’s stomach, Yang chuckled softly.

“I’m really sorry Blake, but I’m just so tired, so… next time.”

“I know. I just want to hold you close.”

There was a silence, and after a few seconds Yang seemed to register what Blake said, and she turned her head, frowning, but her eyes still closed.

“Are you okay?”

The faunus nodded, kissing the back of her neck, but the blonde didn’t seem convinced.

“What is it?”

“Nothing, go back to sleep.”

“Blake, come on. What is it?” Yang opened her eyes, extending her left arm behind her to set her hand on Blake’s thigh.

The faunus sighed, tucking her nose just behind the blonde’s ear.

“I’ll tell you tomorrow. Go back to sleep.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

 

****

 

Blake opened her eyes suddenly. She was still in bed, and the blonde was spooning, and she felt safe and warm. But something, still, had woken her. It wasn’t until she felt a twinge in her lower stomach that she understood, untangling herself from the blonde as fast as she could without waking her, then as fast and quietly as she could, stumbled out in the hallway, then to the bathroom.

She entered without checking, sitting down on the toilet with a sigh of relief, then grunted when the annoying twinge turned into a painful pinch.

“Oh, that kind of morning, huh?”

Blake jumped slightly, looking up to see her mother finishing brushing her teeth calmly, looking at herself as she pulled and touched the skin of her face.

“Sorry” Blake whispered, then grimaced, huffing from the pang of pain. “Sometimes, I hate being a woman” she muttered.

She heard her mother chuckle, and Kali patted her head a few times before starting out of the bathroom, her toothbrush still in her mouth, to give her daughter some privacy.

“I think we’ve all been there, at some point” her mother said, winking, before closing the door behind her.

Blake sighed deeply, leaning her hand in her hand as her elbow was planted on her knee. Of all the things that could happen today, this was the last on her list.

And the first, on her annoying one.

“Why now?” she almost whined. “I was ready a week ago, so why now, when I’m going to leave tomorrow?”

But another pang of pain answered her, and she grunted again, curling on herself. Well, at least it answered many questions on her behavior, these past few days.

This was going to be a long day.

 

****

 

“Hey, Sun? Can I ask a favor?”

The tall blond man looked at her from his perch on the edge of the roof, and he smiled before jumping down on the ground in front of her, raising a cloud of dust.

“Sure, what is it?”

Yang smiled, quickly searching in her pocket.

“Could you go in town real quick and buy some chocolate?” she asked, giving him some money. “Like… as many as you can with this.”

“Um… Sure, what kind?” he asked, already shoving it in his pocket and ready to run.

“Dark” the blonde answered instantly. “But if there isn’t… I think anything will do.”

“Okay!”

And he started running, taking the road and starting up the hill.

“Thanks a lot!” Yang shouted, using her hands as voice over.

And he waved widely, never stopping running. She turned on her heels, deciding she’ll wait for him on the porch and noticed Kali already sitting in the chair, a few papers on the table, and when Yang walked closer, sitting in the hammock chair, the faunus glanced at her, a small smile on her lips.

“It’s for Blake?” she asked quietly.

“Yes” the blonde sighed, her eyebrows furrowed. “I’ve never seen her like this. She looks in pain.”

Kali hummed, nodding as she frowned slightly. A few seconds passed, and she scribbled something down on her papers, before straightening her back.

“Ghira used to give me flowers. Not edible, but I guess they had the desired effect” the older woman smiled, looking at the blonde.

“Aw, that’s so nice!” Yang smiled, then she huffed. “I used to eat pints of ice cream with my sister, and we would watch really cheesy movies to give us a reason to cry.”

She chuckled along with Kali, then sighed quietly.

“Good times” she murmured to herself.

A comfortable silence fell on them, Kali continuing her work quietly, the noises of her pen scribbling on the papers the only thing that filled the air. Yang used that moment to make a list, make the preparations for the day after, and figure how much time it would take her.

Maybe she’ll have enough time to watch a cheesy movie with Blake, after all.

 

**** 

 

When she heard the door opening, she didn’t open her eyes. She already knew who it was. She heard Yang step closer, and felt the bed dip under her weight when she sat on the edge of it, and she felt her warm hand on her head, petting her hair gently.

“Hey” the blonde said quietly. “I’ve got something for you.”

Reluctantly, she cracked one eye open, and right in front of her eyes was a barre of dark chocolate, the blonde wiggling it over the bed, and the faunus gasped, glancing up with wide eyes as she reached up to gently take Yang’s face.

“You are everything I wished for and beyond” she said, pulling the laughing blonde to her and peppering kisses across her face. “Thank you.”

She then took the barre in her hands, peeling off the wrap quickly, and broke off a piece before bringing it to her mouth, closing her eyes as soon as it hit her tongue with a ridiculously loud groan.

“Oh my God, it’s _so_ good” the faunus mumbled, already bringing another piece to her mouth. “I don’t even remember the last time I ate chocolate. I think it was at Beacon.”

She felt Yang kiss her temple as she laughed quietly, a few strands of her hair tickling her sensible cat ears, making them flicker a few times.

“You’re welcome” the blonde murmured against her head. “I remembered you liked dark chocolate.”

“You have a strangely good memory” the faunus frowned slightly.

“Yeah, well, every bit of information I had on you was worth keeping, so…”

Blake looked up at her, see Yang was smiling softly, and she reached up, cupping her cheek with a quiet sigh, thumbing her cheekbone, the smoothing her eyebrow.

“Can you tell me what I did to deserve you?” the faunus murmured.

The blonde laughed quietly, shifting closer so Blake could lean her head on her lap, and she took the hand that was against her cheek, looking down at it.

“You always endured my jokes and puns with such stoicism” Yang started. “But then, one day, one of my jokes made you smile and laugh and-” she raised her eyes to the ceiling, clapping a hand against her chest over her heart, “Dust, that was rewarding. And I guess at some point I told myself ‘Damn, girl, can you imagine being the one to make her smile and laugh like that for the rest of her life?’ And… You still kept laughing at my jokes, groaning at my terrible puns, and…”

She shook her head slightly, her thumb running the length of Blake’s before smiling.

“At some point, I couldn’t imagine my life without you in it.”

“And you dare call _me_ a romantic” Blake gently teased before pulling on her hand so she could kiss the back of it.

The blonde huffed, brushing a few strands off Blake’s face.

“Are you alright? Period cramps can be painful, but I’ve never seen you like that.”

The faunus grimaced, bringing a piece of chocolate to her mouth.

“I’m a week late because I’ve been so stressed, and it’s always painful when I’m late. It’ll pass” she sighed. “Or I’ll grow used to it.”

Yang hummed, nodding as she petted her head again, minding the ears. Blake broke a piece off her barre, offering it to Yang, but the blonde shook her head, grimacing lightly.

“Nah, I’m good. I don’t really like dark chocolate.”

“Not surprising, I have to say. You’re too sweet for that. Your loss” the faunus shrugged, smiling, munching on the piece instead. “I’m a ball of stress and bitterness; it’s perfect for me.”

The blonde snorted, shaking her head as Blake chuckled, eating her chocolate quietly. The faunus snuggled closer, curled up around the blonde as Yang was petting her hair, her fingers sliding into soft dark locks soothingly. It took a moment before one of them spoke again, and it was Yang’s voice that rose quietly in the air.

“What was bugging you, last night?”

Blake sighed deeply, snuggling closer.

“Last night, when I went to get Baxter to bed, Julia was there, and she told me to tell you…”

 

****

 

They were both lying on the bed, Blake snuggled up against the blonde’s side, as Yang toyed with a dark lock, staring at the ceiling, frowning.

“She’s dying” the blonde repeated after a moment, quiet.

The faunus nodded silently, and Yang shifted slightly, exhaling loudly through her nose.

“And she wants us to take care of Bax.”

“Just checking up on him” Blake specified.

The blonde hummed, and she closed her eyes, already knowing what Yang was about to say.

“Why didn’t you tell her that we could take Bax with us?”

“Yang, listen” she sighed, pulling away slightly. “We can’t do that.”

The blonde turned her head to the side, fierceness in her eyes.

“Why not?”

“Have you really thought it through?” the faunus asked, insistent. “I want to be a huntress, and as far as I know, you still want to, right?”

Yang frowned, her face hardening, but she still nodded, staying silent, and Blake continued.

“How many years will it take for us to graduate?” she asked.

Lilac eyes locked with amber ones, and the blonde pinched her lips for a second, as if she already knew where this conversation was going.

“Three.”

“Three years” the faunus repeated. “And that will take three years _when_ we start. As far as I know, I’m not going back to school next month. And after we graduate, what happens?”

“We’re officially huntresses” Yang answered with her teeth gritted.

Blake nodded, taking a moment to think about the right words, propping herself on her elbow.

“Yang, I… I don’t mind not having a home to go back to every night” she started. “I think you’re the same. But don’t you think a child should have a home?”

She could see the corner of Yang’s lips twitch, but she didn’t look away.

“Where is home, for starters?” Blake asked, turning her hands so her palms were up. “Here, in Menagerie? In Patch? How many missions are there in those areas?”

At that, Yang’s features softened slightly, and she glanced down just for a second.

“Let’s say we rent an apartment, or we bought a house” Blake continued. “We make Bax travel to wherever we decided to call home. Then what? We can’t leave him alone for how long missions will be. And I’m really sorry to say, but I’ve worked so hard to be a huntress; I’m not staying home to take care of him, and if I’m correct, neither will you.” And, after a few seconds, she added: “That’s why I said we couldn’t take him.”

There was a silence, and after a moment Yang sighed deeply, running a hand on her face, and she looked over at Blake again.

“You mean to tell me you thought of all that when Julia asked you?”

When the faunus nodded, the blonde let her hand fall beside her, sighing again as she stared at the ceiling.

“God, now I understand why your dad says you worry too much” she whispered.

“It’s not really worrying, it’s… planning ahead” Blake countered quietly.

A flash of lilac went her way, before Yang was staring at the ceiling again.

“Whatever makes you sleep at night.”

“Yang, look-”

“We can’t just let him down, Blake” the blonde interrupted her, her voice hard. “When his mother…” she grimaced, then said, instead, “He’s going to need someone he trusts. Someone he likes. You told me he didn’t like the rest of his family. He can’t go through this alone, Blake.”

The faunus could see pain in her eyes, and she had clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, her face as hard as steel. But Blake knew that behind all this, there was a young child, who had to take care of her younger sister without the help of her father after her mother never came back, only _asking_ for someone.

“I know” Blake murmured. “I didn’t mean it to sound like that. But I don’t know the answer, Yang.”

“Maybe I can help” a voice coming from out the door said.

Blake closed her eyes, sighing, recognising her mother’s voice as Kali entered the room, leaning her shoulder against the doorway.

“I know, ‘privacy’” Blake’s mother grimaced lightly. “But your conversation sounded so serious, and when I heard Baxter’s name…”

She cleared he throat quietly when she noted that Blake wasn’t upset, only waiting with a strange look in her eyes, and she quickly pressed on.

“I could take him in, if he wants. He’ll still be in Menagerie, he wouldn’t be with his family, he’ll be in good hands, and away from the White Fang.”

“Mom…” Blake sighed as she heard Yang gasp quietly behind her. “You really don’t have to do this. This isn’t your cross to bear.”

“This isn’t yours, either” Kali countered, stepping in the room. “Julia has put a great responsibility on your shoulders, one you shouldn’t bear. But you still decided to take it, and I’m happy to see you want to help. So, let me help you, when I can.”

The older woman sat at the edge of the bed, taking her daughter’s hand and squeezing it gently.

“What about Dad?” Blake asked, looking up at her mother.

Kali shrugged, a small smile on her lips.

“He’ll understand what we’re trying to do. Besides, we have more rooms than we know what to do with, when you’re not here.”

Blake sighed as she sat on the bed, running a hand in her hair. She could feel both Kali’s and Yang’s stare, as if they were waiting for her answer.

“You seem like you already made up your mind” she murmured. “I guess we just have to go tell Julia.”

“Just one last thing” Kali stopped them, raising a hand in the air between them. “You have to promise me something.”

When Blake looked up, she saw Kali glancing from her to Yang, a small smile on her lips.

“Promise that you’ll visit more often?”

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lieeeeed. it's going to be the next chapters that are going to be different.
> 
> I decided to cut this one short, so i could focus on the next chapters already.
> 
> Also, thank you so much for the kind comments! If you only knew how much it makes me ridiculously happy when I see that seeing this story updated makes someone's day!
> 
> I'm telling you, it makes my day, too!

Blake fell on her bed, lying on her back with a sigh. They have been packing almost all day, but since the faunus knew she wouldn’t bring many things, she allowed herself to be a little lazy. Besides, she was already done. She lolled her head to the side, looking at her back-pack, seeing it sitting beside her doorway, waiting to be picked up.

Only pack the essential. She had always done that.

She made a mental note to get the knives she had left in the box of wooden ones. Those would probably be useful. And she could carry them on her.

With another sigh, the faunus reached towards her nightstand, picking up the wrap of her chocolate, noting that there was only one piece left. She brought it to her mouth anyway, enjoying the taste as she stared at the ceiling. She could hear music coming from the next room, and hear Yang singing along softly, and an easy smile pulled her lips. For a moment she stayed there, listening, hearing the blonde laughing at herself after she sang the wrong lyrics.

God, just listening to her was making Blake feel fuzzy inside.

The faunus stood, and silently made her way to the room facing hers, leaning her shoulder against the doorway. Yang had been here less long than her or Sun, and since the other faunus was already finished, Blake was wondering what took the blonde so long, and seeing her now gave her the answer. Yang had put everything that was in her large bag on the bed, and was now calmly folding every pieces of clothing before shoving it back in the bag. She was also reviewing everything: hair brush, tooth brush, hair tie, her tool box… She was double checking to make sure she wouldn’t forget anything.

“What’s the point of folding your clothes if you just throw them back in?” Blake asked as she crossed her arms, an amused smile on her lips.

Yang laughed and shrugged, never stopping nor looking up.

“It calms me down, I guess. A little order in the chaos of life.”

The faunus raised her eyebrows, chuckling.

“I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t that.”

The blonde straightened her back, stretching slightly as she looked at her, a soft smile on her lips.

“And what are you doing? Observing me?”

Blake shrugged, not moving from her spot.

“I heard you sing” she answered simply.

“Oh?” Yang said, arching a single eyebrow. “I must be a mermaid or something.”

“A mermaid?” the faunus asked.

“Yeah” the blonde nodded.

And after seeing that Blake didn’t seem to understand, she rolled her eyes.

“You know what mermaids are, right?”

Again, after a moment, Blake shrugged, shaking her head and Yang raised both her eyebrows high on her forehead, deeply surprised.

“You grew up on an island and you don’t know what mermaids are?” the blonde asked in disbelief.

“Yang, you made your point” the faunus sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Okay, sorry” she said quickly, a small smile on her lips. “Mermaids are sea creatures, half-woman, half-fish I guess. They lure sailors with their songs, and when they are close enough, the mermaids pull them under water, luring them to their death.”

“That’s…” Blake trailed off, finding the right word. “Charming.”

The blonde snorted, stepping closer.

“Not really” she conceded. “But instead of luring drunken sailors, I lured a really pretty lady… And don’t worry, I’m not going to drown you.”

The faunus let out a soft huff, reaching her hand to take Yang’s and pulled her closer until they were nose to nose, and when Blake rubbed them together, the blonde laughed quietly.

“I might drown you in kisses, though” Yang whispered, her eyes locked with Blake’s.

“Could you stop being this cute?” they heard Kali say, somewhere in the house.

 

****

 

“You are a force of nature” the man quietly muttered as he looked down at Yang’s radiography. “I’ve never seen someone heal this quickly before. It’s as if you never were injured.”

Doctor Scarlatina let it fall on his desk as he leaned on his hand on it, running his other hand in his hair and tugging at one of his ears with a sigh, then looked up at the two young women in front of him.

“Well, you are free to go. But, just to be sure… do take it easy, at first. Doctor’s orders.”

Yang’s smile was a mile wide as she brought her hand to her forehead in a mock salute.

“Aye, aye, Doc!”

Blake just rolled her eyes, as she crossed her arms over her chest, the ghost of a smile on her lips.

“I’ll make sure she’ll take it easy” she assured.

He simply smiled and bowed his head slightly, then sat in his chair, glancing at his wristwatch.

“Off you go, now. I have an appointment in five minutes.”

They said their goodbyes, but when they were at the door, he called them back.

“Just… take care of each other, out there” the doctor insisted quietly. “The Grimms are more aggressive than ever.”

He locked his soft brown eyes with Blake’s, then with Yang’s, in a silent plea.

“We will, Doc. Thanks” Yang simply answered, giving him one last nod before exiting the room, followed by Blake.

On the way out of the clinic, after waving at the receptionist, they almost crashed on Julia, who was just entering. Yang grabbed her arms to keep her on her feet, and Julia, after the initial shock, recognized them, and a soft smile pulled her lips.

“Thank you again for visiting me this morning. And, for everything” she said, patting both Yang’s and Blake’s arm.

“Is Bax with you?” Yang asked, looking over her shoulder and outside.

“No, but… he should be nearby” the older woman answered, looking over her shoulder, her eyes searching. “I know he wanted to spend some time with you. Maybe he’s already waiting at your house.”

Julia looked back at them with a small sigh, and for just a second, she looked so tired, it seemed like she just aged a decade in an instant. But she smiled as she looked up, glancing back and forth between the two young women.

“If you want to keep him for the night, I don’t mind. I’m telling you now, because I know he’s going to ask, since you are leaving tomorrow. He wants to spend as much time as he can with you.”

Blake perked up at that, looking at the blonde with a small smile.

“I could show him the stars, tonight.”

“He likes spending time with you” Julia remarked, patting the faunus’s arm. “He says you know everything.”

Then, her green eyes strayed above Blake’s shoulder, and she took a sharp breath.

“I would like to chat a little more, but I’m going to be late for my appointment. Doctor Scarlatina is very kind and compassionate, but I know he doesn’t like when something is a little off schedule.”

And with one final wave, she stepped on the side, then hurried in the hallway they just left, and Blake and Yang exited the clinic, walking lazily on the dusty road. The faunus was holding the blonde’s hand as she was admiring the view beyond the beach, looking at the calm ocean as the breeze caressed her skin, until she realised something. Something odd.

Yang was quiet. Too quiet.

Even the hold on her hand seemed kind of off, and when Blake looked back, she saw Yang staring at the ground, her eyebrows furrowed deeply, and she could see the blonde was biting on her lower lip absently.

“What are you thinking?” she asked softly, bumping her shoulder with Yang’s.

The blonde glanced up at her, one side of her lips twitching up.

“How do you even know I’m thinking?”

“It’s quite obvious, because one” she held up her forefinger in the air in front of her, “You are quiet. You are never quiet. And two” she continued, unfolding her middle finger, “When you think about something serious, you furrow your brows in a way that makes a crinkle right here.”

Blake reached up, brushing her fingers on the blonde’s forehead, between her eyebrows, and Yang swatted her hand gently with her prosthetic as she laughed gently, then pulled both their hands up to rub her knuckle on that spot. Her smile stayed for a few seconds, then it faltered, her face growing darker.

“It’s just, um… When we went to see Julia this morning, I had this feeling, you know. She was making me think of someone else.”

Blake hummed, squeezing her hand for a second.

“You too?” she said softly.

“Then at the clinic, I realized.”

The blonde glanced over at Blake, and they lock their eyes together.

“Pyrrha.”

They both nodded as their gaze went to the ground, and for a moment, a silence fell on them. They were nearing the house, and Blake could already hear Baxter talking with Kali, probably on the porch from how clear their voices were.

“I still don’t understand how someone as strong as Pyrrha could die” Yang blurted out, gaining Blake’s attention. “I mean, she just…”

The blonde sighed deeply, motioning with her prosthetic in front of her, searching for the right word.

“She was so young” she decided to say instead. “And Penny, too.”

She shook her head, sighing again.

“Dust, I can’t believe I left Ruby with that grief” she murmured, her shoulders drooping. “I should have been there for her. Instead, I…”

Yang raised her prosthetic arm in front of her, closing her hand into a fist, and Blake could see her face twisting, anger flaring in her eyes.

“Yang” the faunus called softly. “Don’t take it out on yourself. You had your own problems.”

“But-”

“You can’t fight on two fronts, Yang.”

The blonde stayed silent, her eyes down on the ground as she pinched her lips, and Blake pulled the blonde closer, wrapping her free hand around Yang’s arm.

“Besides, Ruby didn’t look like she minded, in her letter. I’m pretty sure she understands.”

“What if she thinks I’m a bad sister?”

The faunus pulled them to a stop, making Yang turn on her heels so they could be face to face, and the look on the blonde’s face…

“Yang, look at me” Blake gently ordered, and she waited to see those beautiful lilac eyes before continuing. “Ruby said in her letter that she missed you. She wants to see you, Yang. Like I said, I’m sure Ruby understands why you weren’t there for her. You had to take care of you, first. And I can’t wait to see the look on her face when she sees you again. You look like a total badass.”

Yang snorted, looking away, but a small smiled pulled her lips, and Blake smiled, too.

“If that’s not self-care, then I don’t know what is” the faunus added.

The blonde chuckled as she nodded, and with a soft sigh she brought Blake’s hand up to leave a soft kiss on the back of it, then pressed it against her cheek. Blake smiled, brushing a few strands of blonde hair out of Yang’s face, smoothing one golden eyebrow with her thumb in the way.

“Do you need a hug?” she asked quietly even though she knew the answer.

Yang was already pulling her into her arms, holding Blake so close to her the faunus could almost feel her heart beating against her chest as the blonde buried her face in her neck, and Blake held her as close as she could, leaning her cheek on top of her head.

 

****

 

“So, you’re saying that the lights we call stars, they’re the lights of the explosions of planets that died thousands of years ago?” Sun asked, skepticism clear in his voice.

Blake chuckled as she kept her gaze up to the sky, feeling Yang lean against her shoulder slightly to whisper in her ear.

“I stand with Sun on that.”

“Well, some of them are, indeed” Blake nodded.

There was a moment of silence as all four of them, Sun, Blake, Yang and Baxter, sitting on the blonde’s lap, was still staring up at the cloudless sky, the stars shining as the moon cast its soft light on them.

“God, that’s an interstellar cemetery” Yang murmured under her breath, a crinkle between her eyebrows.

“I said some of them, not _all_ of them” Blake reminded gently with a soft laugh. “There are lights that are faraway planets. Like, in precise time of the year, we can see Mars and Venus.”

Sun hummed, quietly surprised as his tail curled behind him. After a moment, Blake started folding the star chart, careful, for it was her father’s, and she could see in the corner of her eye Baxter shifting, turning his head one way then the other, as if he tried to memorize the sky.

“Why are they there?” he asked, keeping his eyes up.

“Who? The stars?”

“Yeah?” he finally looked down, frowning in confusion at Blake. “Why can we see them?”

The faunus raised her eyebrows high on her forehead, blinking as she stared at the boy. She cleared her throat, shifting slightly in her spot as she looked up, leaning her weight on her hands.

“I honestly don’t know, Bax” she answered with a sigh. “It’s like asking why we’re here.”

“Well, I’m here because I live here” the boy said back, more confused than ever.

That made all three adults laugh, and Sun reached over to ruffle the boy’s hair playfully.

“That’s not what Blake meant, buddy.”

“She meant why people are here, in this world” Yang followed, kissing the top of his head.

Baxter hummed as he nodded, his face still scrunched up in thoughts, and after a few seconds he smiled brightly, twisting his neck as he looked up at Yang.

“Well, I know why we’re here!” she exclaimed, straightening his back.

“You do?” Blake softly huffed as she looked down at him, a soft smile on her lips.

“Yes!” he nodded solemnly. “Mom told me. She said we are here in this world to make friends and family, and to love them, and make memories together, and be happy! She said it’s the only reason we are here, but…”

He stopped suddenly, looking down at his hands until Yang gently nudged his side, trying to look at his face.

“But?” she asked quietly.

“But Mom looked so sad when she said that” he mumbled, his eyes still staring at his hands.

Blake and Yang glanced at each other for a quick second, and the blonde wrapped her arms around him, leaning her cheek on top of his head.

“She said too that the important people never leave” he continued, still looking down. “But Dad left, and you are leaving, too. Does that mean you and Dad are not important?”

This time it was Yang’s turn to clear her throat, shifting.

“I’m sure she didn’t mean it like that, sweetheart.”

“I miss Dad” he said quietly. “And I know I’m going to miss you.”

They stayed silent for a moment, not really knowing what to say. Blake could see Sun’s tail curling and swishing, and she knew he was starting to feel uncomfortable, while on the other side of her she could see Yang nuzzling Baxter’s hair as she held him close to her. She looked up at the night’s sky for a few seconds, trying to find the right words.

“My dad used to show me the stars like this, when I was younger” she started suddenly, catching everyone’s attention. “He would show me the ones he knew by heart, and tell me stories about them. One time, I knew he was about to leave town for a month, and I was really saddened by it. So, he took me here” Blake waved at the rock they were sitting on, then motioned to the beach. “And showed me the stars again. And I remember him telling me ‘Do you know what is really nice with the stars?’”

She looked down at Baxter as she asked the question, waiting for him to shake his head before continuing.

“It’s that wherever you are, you can still see the same stars, the same moon. So, whenever you miss me, you just have to look up” Blake said gently, reaching a hand to lightly tap twice under the boy’s chin until he raised his eyes to the sky, “And I’ll be watching the same stars as you are.”

The faunus sighed, looking up, staying silent for a few seconds.

“So whenever you miss us, you’ll just have to look up” she whispered, glancing down at him. “Because we will be looking at the stars.”

 

****

 

Blake woke up with a start, sitting abruptly with a scream just behind her lips when she felt hands grabbing her arm, and it took the faunus a moment to take in her surroundings. To recognize the voices that was calling her name. To feel how soft the touches were.

She closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm her breathing, inhaling and exhaling deeply and slowly, feeling a tear of sweat snake down her jaw, and gradually, she could hear what the voices were saying.

“…was just a dream, Blake” Baxter was saying, his voice small and trembling.

Surely, he was worried and maybe a little afraid, but the warm voice of Yang soon was heard, comforting.

“You’re fine, Blake. I am, too. We’re fine” the blonde kept repeating, over and over again, feeling her large, rough hand against hers, her thumb drawing patterns on her skin.

With one last exhale, she opened her eyes, squeezing Yang’s hand once, feeling her own hand trembling and weak, and she looked up, seeing Baxter, his messy hair spiking up on his head, staring at her with concern and Yang, who was smiling-grimacing at her. There was compassion in her eyes, an indescribable understanding, and Blake nearly cried just looking at her, but she leaned in instead, leaning her forehead against the blonde’s just to feel her.

“You’re fine, it was just a nightmare” Blake murmured, then she snuggled closer, nuzzling Yang’s cheek, then slip down to her neck, making sure she was really there. “It was just a nightmare.”

She could feel Baxter hugging her as hard as he could, grunting with effort, and after a moment Blake wrapped an arm around him, returning the hug softly, but when he seemed to tighten his grip, the faunus huffed quietly.

“What are you doing, Bax? Break me in half?” she asked tiredly, but trying to make her voice sound light.

“No, I’m hugging the nightmare out of you!” he answered, his voice muffled in Blake’s shoulder. “Mom always does that when I have nightmares, and it works!”

Both Blake and Yang chuckled, and Blake held the boy closer to her, her head leaving Yang’s neck to lean her cheek on top of the dark red hair with a sigh, petting his hair after a second of hesitation.

“Thank you, Bax” she murmured, and she could feel her face scrunching up, her eyes prickling.

Yang must have seen it, or she felt it, because she only shifted closer, pulling them into her arms as she leaned her back against the headboard, holding them as close as she could as she kissed the top of the boy’s head, then right between Blake’s cat ears, letting the faunus silently cry. She could feel the warm teardrops fall on her shoulder and neck, but she said nothing, just kissing Blake’s head as she rocked them gently.

After a long moment, when Blake had stopped crying and Baxter had fallen asleep, the faunus were snuggled all against the blonde, half-asleep, feeling warm and safe, enveloped in the blonde’s scent. But even if she were on the edge of falling asleep, she could still hear the quiet whisper the blonde let out to herself.

“We’re going to be fine, Blake. One day, we’re going to be fine.”

 

****

 

“Are you sure you have everything?” Kali asked for the third time in ten minutes. “That’s an awfully small bag you have.”

Blake closed her eyes as she sighed, reminding herself that her mother was just worried, and she didn’t do it on purpose. She felt briefly Yang’s hand on her back, as if the blonde wanted to make sure Blake wouldn’t explode, and the faunus pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Yes, Mom, I have everything, thank you.”

“But-”

“Kali, dear” Ghira’s dep voice interrupted her, his large hand resting on his wife’s shoulder. “She has everything. You know she is used to travel lightly.”

The older woman shuffled on her feet for a second, but she stayed silent, and Blake silently thanked her father, making him smile and wink. She knew he was worried too, but he was dealing with it way better than Kali. Blake heard the high pitched laugh of Baxter behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder, seeing the Yang had took him in her arms and was twirling him around.

They were gathered on the docks, waiting to board the ship. They had managed to strap all the bags on Yang’s bike, and Sun had already went ahead to buy the tickets. So now, they wait.

Blake had noticed that Yang was a little tense, glancing around from time to time, but for other people who didn’t know her as well as Blake did, it could go unnoticed. And so, the faunus stayed near, never more than a few steps between them. Sun was near too, glaring at everyone that looked at Yang for too long as he played with his weapon. Making it clear he was armed.

Blake couldn’t help but smile. Sun was really a good friend. A little clumsy sometimes with people and a little exuberant, but loyal and kind. He seemed to feel her stare because he turned his head in her direction, his blue eyes finding Blake’s instantly, and she smiled, hoping all her thankfulness could be seen in that. He seemed to understand, because he smiled a crooked smile, straightening his back as he held his chin high and puffed his chest, and he winked at her, his tail swishing behind him.

The deafening horn of the ship blowing made her ears pin on her head, grimacing in sync with her mother, and she felt the large, heavy hand of her father fall on her shoulder.

“Time to go” he quietly let out, his eyes locking with his daughter’s.

For a second, she felt a wave of panic rise inside her, and Ghira squeezed her shoulder lightly, smiling a little. Blake stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his tall frame, hugging him as best she could, feeling his arms close around her.

“I love you, Dad” she murmured, her face buried in his chest.

She could feel him laugh against her cheek, and he pulled away slightly, just enough to cup her cheeks as he looked down at her, then his hands went a little higher on her head, and both his thumbs ran the length of her cat ears tenderly as he bent down, kissing the spot right between them.

“I love you too, kitten” he murmured against her hair. “Always.”

He straightened his back as she wrapped her hands around his wrists, looking up to her father with a smile.

“And I am really proud of you” he added, holding her for a second longer before pulling away. “Remember that.”

Before she could say anything, Kali jumped in her arms as soon as Ghira had step away, and for a second, Blake wondered how all this strength could be in such a petite woman. She hugged her mother back, hoping it could speak more than actual words as she buried her face in her mother’s neck, closing her eyes to memorize the feeling. She could feel Kali tremble against her, and hear her sniffling, and Blake laughed softly.

“Mom, you said you wouldn’t cry” she reminded her mother gently.

“Oh, please Blake, you know me. Did you really believe it?”

Blake snorted as she felt her mother’s hands petting her hair, and she realised how she had already memorised her touch. She could recognise it between millions.

“Take good care of you, honey” Kali was saying. “And be careful. And come back soon?”

Blake snorted again, pulling away slightly, and Kali held her by the shoulders, looking at Blake’s face as if she was trying to memorise it. The older woman tried to wipe her cheek against her shoulder, squeezing her daughter’s shoulders lightly, before one of her hands reached up, holding Blake’s chin gently, her thumb caressing.

“My beautiful girl” Kali murmured, a soft smile on her lips. “Sometimes I wish you’re still my baby girl.”

Blake huffed, a small smile on her lips as she reached up to brush the tears from her mother’s face. Kali leaned in, kissing her daughter’s cheek gently before sighing, looking at her again.

“Be safe, out there. I love you.”

“I love you too, Mom.”

“And” Kali added a little more quietly, glancing to the side where Yang and Ghira were shaking hands. “Don’t do things I would do.”

Blake raised a single eyebrow as she followed her mother’s stare, and she raised her eyes to the sky, shaking her head before staring at Kali dead in the eye.

“Oh, Mother. I intent to” she replied in the same hushed tone, a small grin pulling her lips.

Her mother’s eyes went wide as her eyebrows shot up high on her forehead, and she raised her hands in the air as she laughed.

“Finally! I was wondering I you really were my daughter!”

“Why would you be wondering that?” Yang asked as she stepped closer, about to hug Kali.

“Oh, nothing” the older woman graciously waved aside, winking at her daughter.

Blake huffed, smiling, taking her mother’s hand to give it a squeeze one last time, then stepped to the side, letting Yang and her mother some room. The faunus looked over at Sun and Ghira, and she saw her father offering his hand in a formal handshake, but Sun just stepped closer and hugged him, closing his eyes with a smile on his lips while Ghira raised his eyes to the sky as he sighed deeply. But after a few seconds, she saw her father patting Sun’s back, a really tiny smile on his lips, and she knew that even after all he said, her father was going to miss the annoying, ever-present monkey boy.

A tug on her hand pulled her from her thoughts and she looked down, seeing Baxter in front of her, his face determined even if his eyes were already full of tears. Blake set a knee on the ground to be on his level, and before she could say anything he wrapped his arms around her neck, hugging her as hard as he could.

“I want to give you something” he whispered after a moment, pulling away quickly.

He shoved his hand in his pocket and pulled out his knife, holding it out for her as his face looked even more determined and decided.

“I want you to keep it.”

“Bax…” Blake murmured, looking down at the knife.

She raised a hand, but instead of taking it, she gently pushed it back to the boy, looking up to lock her eyes with him.

“I can’t take it. It’s your father’s.”

“That’s why I want you to take it!” he insisted, offering it again. “I don’t need it, but you fight Grimms! And if you have it, then I’ll be sure you will come back, because I’m only letting you borrow my knife.”

His lips were pinched, and he looked only mildly upset, but he had a firm look in his eyes as he sniffled once, and after a moment, Blake glanced down at her hands, seeing them shake. She closed them in tight fists, looking up to Baxter, nodding slightly.

“Okay” she breathed, and he smiled, setting the folded knife in her hand.

He nodded, and Blake reached out, taking his hand in hers, showing him the knife.

“I promise, I will bring it back” she swore, and only at that moment the tears started to fall.

With a sigh, she pulled him in her arms, patting his back gently, and she felt a hand on her shoulder before someone wrapped their arms around them. Blake turned her head to kiss Yang’s cheek, and the blonde kissed Baxter’s head, making the boy realise she was there, too. And he wrapped an arm around her neck, keeping both women close to him for a moment.

“We already have a grandson!” Blake heard her mother say to her father, and she heard the deep sigh he made.

Then, they had to board the ship, and they stayed on the edge, waving at Ghira, Kali and Baxter until they were only dots on the docks, and only then, Blake cried, surrounded by Sun and Yang, both rubbing her back.

Definitely, she hated goodbyes.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah. I said that this was going to be different from the other chapters.

_October 28_

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_I am so sorry that I didn’t think about writing to you sooner. I think that because it was so uncertain via mail, I never thought about sending you letters. It was Ruby’s idea, that I write this letter, at least to tell you that we are fine and well._

_It’s been two and a half months since we left Menagerie. I’m telling you, because you may be receiving this letter weeks or months later, but I’ll be sure to always date my letters._

_We arrived in Mistral after an uneventful crossing. The captain of the ship was the same, for it was the same ship, too. He looked happy to see I wasn’t alone, this time, even though I wasn’t really alone the first time._

_It took us some time to reach Haven grounds; the Grimms are much worse than we first thought. But it’s fine, don’t worry. With the three of us, we can deal with a great number of things. Besides, Yang is just too happy to finally be able to punch things again that she works for two._

_When we arrived at Haven, though, there were fewer Grimms, and we entered the town without much fuss, for it was really crowded. Sun seemed happy to finally return to civilisation (he is such a city boy), while Yang seemed twitchy and nervous._

_At first I thought it was because of the incident back home, that she may have some PTSD even though most of the crowd was human, and honestly, they were more looking at me. Well, my ears, since I don’t wear my bow anymore. But I noticed her only reacting when she would catch spots of red, standing on tip toes to look over some heads when she saw what looked like a red cape, or reddish-brown hair. Yang was searching for Ruby._

_And eventually, Yang did find her. We got kind of lost through the city, and it was after we turned what seemed to be the fortieth corner of a street that Yang suddenly grabbed my arm, and I followed her stare. And there she was. On the other side of the road, talking with a merchant of some kind, there was Ruby._

_You know, in those cheesy books and movies, where time seems to stop when the character finally see the person they’ve been searching for? Well, it’s basically what happened for us._

“Ruby” Yang breathed, almost not believing what she was seeing.

Blake was still stunned, staring at her teammate, a sudden panic flooding her head. What if Ruby was mad at her for leaving?

The faunus didn’t have time to think further than that, because as if the team leader had heard the soft word of Yang, or maybe she just felt their stare, she raised her head, her eyes searching the crowd as her face hardened.

Yep. She had felt their stare.

As Blake was about to shout her name, her head jerked towards them, and Blake could see her silver eyes instantly locking with Yang’s. And at that moment, no one else existed in the world besides the two of them.

Blake heard Yang’s sharp intake of air, holding it in as Ruby straightened her back, her hard expression crumbling, traded with one of hope, a smile appearing on her lips. And even with the distance and the people passing before them, they could see the one word, the question Ruby silently asked.

“Yang?”

And with the passing of a stranger in front of her eyes, Blake lost her from her sight, and she blinked, wondering if she had imagined this entire scene, until she heard the blonde beside her grunt, the air being knocked out of her lungs as a flurry of rose petals danced in the air, the faunus looking to the side just in time to see both sisters crash to the ground.

Ruby clung to her sister as if she was drowning, curling up on top of her as she buried her face in the blonde’s neck, and Blake could hear her sniffle already. Yang, after a second to recover from her shock, was quick to wrap her arms around her, hiding her face in her sister’s dark locks, petting her head with her left hand.

Blake gave them time, pulling back Sun who was about to jump in. She knew they needed a moment. And they stayed down on the ground for some time, too; they couldn’t care less about people staring. And even though she didn’t want to eavesdrop, Blake couldn’t help but hear what the sisters were saying in a quiet conversation.

“I’m so, _so_ proud of you” Ruby murmured between hiccups, her voice heavy with tears.

“Why would you even be proud of me? I did nothing but whine in my corner, Ruby. I should have been there for you.”

“What are you saying?” the younger sister asked after a pause. “You lost your arm, Yang. I think it’s just normal to whine a little.”

“But-”

“Don’t ‘But’ me” Ruby interrupted her as she straightened herself, quickly whipping the tears from her face. “You had to take care of yourself. I understand, Yang. You didn’t let me down.”

But the silence that answered her clearly meant that the blonde thought otherwise, and she stood, pulling on her sister’s hands to get her back to her feet. Gently, delicately, Ruby reached up, brushing a few strands of golden hair out of Yang’s face in a rare display of affection that the faunus had never see her do before, and the leader smiled.

“I’m proud of you because you’re here” Ruby continued. “You made it. You took the time you needed to heal, and you came to me. You came back.”

Yang’s attempt at keeping a neutral expression failed miserably, and she looked down to hide her already welled up eyes, her lips pinched in a thin line, trying to get her emotions in check.

_At some point Ruby realised Yang wasn’t alone, and she was truly happy to see us, and when she jumped in my arms, laughing-crying, the fears I had before vanished. Well, not totally, but for the time being, at least. But even though she smiled and laughed, I had the feeling something was off. With me, at least. But I pushed it aside for the moment, thinking it was just my old fears taunting me._

_Turns out, I was right about Ruby. As soon as we were alone, when Yang and Sun went to rent a room at a nearby inn, Ruby grabbed me by my collar, and she stared at me as if she could see into my soul._

_I think all of Remnant knows that Yang is protective of her sister. But I guess I should have known that Ruby would be, too._

_But, on opposite of Yang, Ruby wasn’t prone to violence. I kind of feared she would yell at me, that she would be furious or something. I feared she would hurt me, because the look she had in her eyes…_

_Well, Ruby was furious indeed. But none of that. She just kept staring at me, and I realised in that moment that her eyes had turned a shade lighter. Like steel. The color of blades, sharp, that could make a man bleeds to death, and I almost could feel her eyes stabbing me in a hundred ways._

_But maybe it was just the guilt I’ve carried since the day I left them, and she knew. I don’t even know how long we did this. But I could hear Sun and Yang talking in the hallway as they came back, and Ruby heard them, too. And the only thing she told me was for me to never hurt her sister again. When I told her I promised Yang that I would never leave again, she released my collar, her expression softening, and I felt like I could fully breathe again._

_I still don’t know if Yang noticed how much I was shaking when she and Sun came back. I don’t know if Sun had noticed, too. I knew Ruby wouldn’t do something to me. Well, I hoped it. And still, she did do nothing._

_Nonetheless, that moment with Ruby was, without a doubt, the most terrifying moment of my life._

_The second most terrifying moment of my life came not so long after that, when Yang casually dropped the information that she and I, well, was a ‘thing’, like she said. I felt Ruby’s eyes on me and I already could feel the sweat run down my back as I looked at her, but her eyes were her normal silver, and she was smiling. She looked genuinely happy for us as she high-fived Yang, which made me laugh._

_Yang had told me that she was sure Ruby would do just that, when she would know about us._

_We talked, later that night, after the dust had settled. Ruby and I, a real talk. She apologised for scaring me, and I apologised for, well, everything. But she didn’t even let me finish. She told me she was glad I was apologising, but she was just happy that I was with them, now._

_I’m writing this letter as we finished talking, well, talking about ‘serious matters’, as Ruby called it. She’s sitting across from me, complimenting me about my beautiful handwriting._

_Tomorrow, we’re going to meet up with team JNR, and then to Ruby and Yang’s uncle Qrow. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long day. And I already can hear Yang snoring in bed, and it calls me more than I care to admit._

_So I’m saying goodnight to you, Mom, Dad. I will write to you again soon, I hope with other good news about our journey, but I don’t know when, or where. We told Ruby about Weiss, and she didn’t know. She wanted to go right then and there, but we decided we would rest for a few days here, while we have comfortable beds._

_I’m suggesting for you not to respond to me, because I have a feeling we will be moving often. I’m really sorry for that. And I really, really hope this letter reaches you, as well as the others._

_P.S.: Mom, could you give the picture we added in the envelope to Baxter? Sun took the three of us as we were hugging, and Yang insisted to send it to him. For him to have a little reminder of us._

_P.P.S.: Small favor… Tell him we look at the stars every night. He’ll understand. Thank you._

_I miss you both so much, already. Yang, too. And Sun misses you, Dad._

 

_****_

 

_December 24_

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_Merry Christmas. I wish I could be there with you. It’s been too long since we were together in this time of year. But maybe next year, we would be able to celebrate this together. I hope so._

_For our part, we decided to do a little celebrating. We rented a room in the only inn of the village we stopped at, and I can’t even tell you the name for it have far too many consonant for me to memorise. After nearly a month of camping in the snow, tonight feels like we’re on vacation._

_After we met up with team JNR and Qrow, Ruby and Yang’s uncle arranged a meeting with Haven’s headmaster, professor Lionheart. He offered us a place in his school, but we asked to delay his kind offer. We had to find Weiss first. We’re not team RWBY without her._

_He accepted, as if he was expecting this answer, and said he would wait for us to return, and that we’ll always have a place here. And it was easy like that._

_I still don’t know what to think of this. But we had the green light, and we didn’t wait that much longer to move. But as we made our way out of Haven, Sun said he would go back to his team, and since I was with Yang and Ruby, he was sure I was in good hands. And that’s why he wanted to leave._

_He told this to me as if he feared I would force him to stay. Who does he think I am? Of course I want him with his team! He’s been talking about them for months, and sometimes I wondered how someone could talk so much in so little time. But you know well enough how Sun can be._

_And so, he left. I must admit, I was sad. I know I will see him again, but… he’s been with me for so long, always by my side when I needed it. When I didn’t need it. Still, he stayed with me. I wish I could have told him how much I’m grateful for his friendship, but all I managed to say was sarcastic things. At least, it made him laugh._

_I think he knows. He probably does. He can’t spent all this time with me and not know how I am. He didn’t say anything about it, but he hugged me as if he would never see me again. And maybe it will be like that. Like I said in my first letter, there’s something up with the Grimms. I’ve never seen them that aggressive before. And I’ve never seen that many Grimms, too. Except at Beacon._

_But Sun was right, though. Ruby has been out here longer than us, and she can deal with whatever comes in front of her. I’m really happy, because our fighting dynamic has come back quickly, but we still miss one member of our team. We don’t really talk about it much, but I know we’re all worried for her._

_We’ve been trying to gather information about Weiss, without telling her name. But even if we don’t say her name, people aren’t dumb. Not many people fit the description besides a Schnee. But still, people think they saw someone fitting the description in this town, other people say that town, and so, we’ve been traveling after that information._

_But for tonight, we rest. Wearing ourselves down isn’t the best way to find her._

_I have to go, for now. Yang is trying to get my attention, and Ruby keeps complaining for me to finish, so we can watch a movie before bed. Sometimes I feel like I’m with two kids._

_I miss Weiss. She was the responsible adult on the team._

_I’m missing you both every day. I wish there was a way I could get news from you._

_P.S.: Another favor, Mom. There are pictures in the envelope, and we made doubles for you and Baxter. Pictures of a snowy Mistral. It’s not Atlas’s snow, it’s only a couple of inches deep, but I thought it was beautiful in the morning, when everything was still. Plus, Bax will like it, I’m sure._

_****_

 

_February 17_

_Dearest Mom and Dad,_

_It seems I have a pattern of writing to you almost two months apart, but finding a village or town with a still working post office is as scarce as it is. But enough of that._

_We are now somewhere in northern Mistral, but still deep in the lands. And you know, on a map, the kingdoms look that much smaller. I feel like we just keep walking, but we’re making no progress at all._

_I guess the feeling is shared; Ruby has been quieter as the weeks went on, she got frustrated more often when we got lost, and I don’t remember hearing her say a word for the past two days. Yang is getting worried, and so am I. Ruby usually is our happy-go-around member along with Yang, but even her can’t snatch more than a few words from her. So, we decided to stop by an inn, and rent a room. Maybe a good night’s sleep, in real beds, would do the trick._

_I know Ruby is tired. It happened often that I’ve been woken up by her getting out of her bedroll to splash water in her face, in the middle of the night. I know she has nightmares. But lately, she has them almost every night._

_And when it’s not Ruby, it’s Yang, waking up from a nightmare, or because her arm hurts. Phantom pain, she called it. When it happens during the day, she hides it, and hides it so well that even I can’t notice. It’s at night, when she wakes up because of it, and she didn’t have time to compose herself, that I know what this is about._

_And I have nightmares, too. But at least, Yang and I, we have each other. Ruby seems to keep it to herself, alone. She gets up and goes for a walk in the woods, or she plays with our campfire. But she never tries to wake one of us up, and even though sometimes I wake up with her, I’m not sure I want to confront her about it. Maybe I should talk to Yang._

_February. The month of love. The smallest month of the year, and yet, it feels like it won’t ever end. I sometimes wonder why the month of love is the smallest month. Shouldn’t it be the longest? Love makes us do crazy things. Like searching for a very small needle in a very big haystack._

_We are still on Weiss’s trail, the last info we had was that someone matching her description was seen in the next town from here. But since we left Haven, since we started searching for her…_

_I sometimes wonder if we’ll ever find her. But even if we are a little discouraged right now, we won’t stop until we find her. I can see it in Ruby and Yang’s eyes, and I know I could search to the end of the world to find her. We just need a little time._

_And patience, maybe. Which is not Ruby or Yang’s forte. Or mine._

_I hope everything is fine, back home. I wish I could hug you, Dad. I wish you could play with my hair, Mom. I miss you both so much, right now._

_I’ll try to write to you sooner, this time. And I hope, with better news than that._

_P.S.: We don’t have anything for Bax this time, but… Could you hug him for us? It probably won’t be February when you’ll receive this, but we think about him, in this month of love._

_Thank you. You are the best._

 

_****_

_March 22_

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_We finally reached the town our information led us to, with no trace of Weiss. It took us a month to travel, even though we stayed at a nearby village, because a sudden drop of a few feet of snow slowed us. Considerably._

_But here we are, sitting in the room, with our clothes hanging from every corner of the room, wrapped in thick blankets with our feet near the hearth. Ruby keeps sighing, her eyes closed in bliss, and Yang is literally lying on the floor as close as she can to the fire, and when she feels about to melt, she come to me and hug me, so I can be warm too as I write this._

_Even if Weiss isn’t here, the information we collected are weird. Until now, we’ve always questioned many people, and they always gave approximatively the same answer. But now, some people say that they saw someone matching this description in a town nearby, and others says they saw someone in a town deeper in the lands. That’s the thing that is weird. They all say the two same things._

_I find it suspicious. Yang thinks that luck is on our side. And Ruby only frowned as she looked at the map._

_We’re going to travel towards the neared piece of information, tomorrow. I just hope there wouldn’t be another drop of snow._

_I’m cutting it short for today; I can already feel my eyes closing, and I don’t intent on sleeping on a desk when a comfortable bed is waiting for me._

_I will write to you soon._

_**_

_June 19_

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_I’m sorry if I worried you, for it’s been almost three month I sent a letter. We were… in a hurry. Let me explain._

_You remember in my previous letter, when I said I found it strange that people would give us two locations? Then we set off for one of those locations. There, we asked around, and we were kind of dumbfounded. One of the locations was the same, the one deeper in the lands. But the info that led us here vanished. Instead, we had information that our ‘person of interest’ as Yang calls her was seen in a town, west of here. And so, we immediately set off, sometimes we kept going even after the sun had set, and continuing as soon as the sun was up._

_It wasn’t a really healthy thing to do, I know. But we all thought we were onto something, and so we pushed on. We followed info after info, traveling at a maddening pace. I’m still not sure how we pulled this off, honestly. We barely stopped to rest; often we would eat and drink as we walked._

_It was only when we stumbled in a village where our information led, about a month from now, that Ruby nearly passed out from exhaustion, and I have to say we didn’t look better. We went to the closest inn in hopes we could rest a little, but as Yang carried her, Ruby saw something, up in the sky. More precisely, an airship._

“Wait!” Ruby shouted, her eyes following the airship. “I remember seeing this one somewhere!”

The team leader wiggled in her sister’s arms, and the blonde quickly let her down, sighing. Blake followed her line of sight, furrowing her brows.

“What do you mean, you’ve seen this one somewhere?” she asked, thinking there wasn’t anything particular to it.

If anything, this airship looked like every other ones. Then she wondered how much sleep had these past few days.

“I mean I saw that airship at the Vital tournament!” Ruby exclaimed again, trotting down the main road as her eyes were glued to the airship. “I remember it, because I got to see it real close!”

“What?” Yang asked, her eyes snapping up to follow it. “How in Remnant did you got close to this beauty?”

“It’s Winter’s!”

Blake and Yang shared a glance, concern clear on their faces, and the younger woman rolled her eyes after she noticed them.

“Winters?” Yang asked, starting to get confuse.

“No, it’s the airship of Winter” Ruby insisted, walking back to them when the airship passed over them and were hidden by the trees.

“Who’s Winter?” Blake asked, raising a single eyebrow.

“What do you mean, ‘who’s Winter’? She’s Weiss’s older sister!”

“Wait, wait” Yang narrowed her eyes, looking even more confused. “Weiss have a sister too?”

“Yeah! Didn’t she tell you guys?”

Both Blake and Yang stared at her for a second, before glancing to each other again.

“How many Schnee are there?” the blonde asked quietly, and Blake answered with a shrug.

“This is serious!” Ruby reminded them, catching back both their attention. “This was Winter’s airship! She’s in Mistral! She probably knows where Weiss is!”

Then she gasped as her eyes went to the ground, lost in thought for a second.

“What if she’s the POI that isn’t moving? She’s in the military; it must be her headquarters or something. A place where they can to their military thing.”

_We went around town, asking for information. When they pointed again to the location where the POI didn’t moved, Ruby asked in what direction it was. Deeper in the lands, south-west. The airship that Ruby recognized went that way. I guess it fueled us enough that we wanted to go right away, but we didn’t even reached the edge of town that Ruby suddenly stopped, and when I reached her, she was livid, about to pass out._

_We’ve been living on adrenaline rush for five continuous days, it was about time it drained out. Maybe it wasn’t the best way to tell us we needed to rest, but we rented a room for that night, and the sun was still high in the sky when Yang set Ruby down on the bed, and as soon as her head touched the pillow she fell asleep. Well, I wasn’t better, but I at least pulled off my boots before crawling in bed. I don’t even remember feeling Yang lay down beside me._

_We slept for fourteen hours. Fourteen. Hours. More than half a day. At least, we were well rested. We decided to slow down how pace, taking the time to rest, like we should have done, and sleeping more than four hours at night. And eventually, we arrived at the said location. It’s a rather large town, here. But we found, in the outskirt of it, a tall building that kind of clashed with the rest, and we knew, just by the architecture, that this was built years after the town. Thicker. Sturdier. Surrounded by a tall, menacing fence, with one man in Atlas military uniform guarding it._

_Let’s just say we were overjoyed, when we saw that man. Well, his uniform. It meant that Ruby was right. But when we approached the gate, the guard pointed his weapon at us, so we decided for a more polite and official approach. Ruby asked the guard if we could have a moment to meet Winter Schnee, but he only barked at us to leave. Not losing her positivism, she asked him, then, if he could deliver the message, then we went back in town. We camped in the nearby woods, and we cleared out a small pack of Grimm that threatened the borders of the town._

_We went back the next day, and the same guard was there. He recognised us, of course, and he still barked at us the same way he did the day before, and Ruby asked the same things again._

_We’ve been pinned here for two weeks, now. The same guard is keeping the gate, and we’re fairly positive he didn’t even relay the message. So, I’m writing this letter to you today, because we are about to do something incredibly stupid, but we don’t really have a choice, since the guard is being so unhelpful._

_We’re going to meet Winter Schnee, want it or not._

_So, if you don’t hear from us again, then maybe it’s because we’re in jail. But if it can give us a bit of information on Weiss, we considered it would be worth it._

_I’m sorry, but we’re a little desperate._

_****_

_June 24_

_Dearest Mom and Dad,_

_I can’t even describe how I’m feeling. We’re not in jail, by the way. But, let me tell you what happened._

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Yang asked, her voice quiet as they stood on the roof of the building.

“Well, if I was a ranking officer, I’d choose the office with the large windows” Ruby commented, glancing down from the edge.

“We’ve circled the building five times, Yang. I’m with Ruby on this” Blake said, squeezing the blonde’s hand reassuringly. “Besides, we’re not blasting our way in; we sneak in. That way, if Winter isn’t here, we sneak out. No harm done. Ready?”

Both blonde and dark-red hair nodded, focused. Blake looped the end of the black silken ribbon around her waist, giving the loose length to Yang who pulled it taut. The faunus was going to climb down the wall, and her job would be to peek inside to see if Weiss’s sister was there. If she were, then maybe knock on the window and hope for the best. But just before Blake jumped down, Yang pulled her close, stealing a quick kiss.

“Be careful” she whispered on her lips, locking her eyes with Blake’s.

“Always” the faunus said back, a smile pulling her lips.

“Okay, we’re on the clock, guys” Ruby’s voice interrupted, making both of them smile.

Pulling on the ribbon to make sure it was safely tied to her waist one last time, nodding at Yang, the faunus started to climb down. Everything would have been fine if she had noticed that she set her foot on a rock covered with moss. And if her foot hadn’t slipped right at the start.

So much for sneaking.

Blake dropped several feet down, a moment of panic flooding her as she was about to scream when she felt the ribbon around her tighten painfully, and she felt like she had been broken in half with her breath expulsed from her lungs, but she wasn’t falling anymore, thankfully. Her grateful feeling vanished as quickly as it came when she realised she was about to crash right in the window of Winter’s possible office.

And crashed she did. Blake was still trying to breathe when she hit the window, realising it was thicker than she first thought, and knocked her head against it hard enough for her to see stars for a few seconds. Flattening her palm against the cold glass and setting her feet on the edge of the window to stabilise herself, she took a moment to breath, but movements inside made her look up, all her senses screaming alert.

Inside, she saw a tall-backed chair turning on itself towards the window, towards her, and on it was sitting a woman in military attire, white. Definitely Atlesian. The woman had white hair, tied up in a perfect bun, not a single hair out of place, and her white eyebrows were raised high on her forehead, her piercing blue eyes staring right at her.

Definitely Weiss’s sister.

In one hand, Winter held a small cup, and its saucer in the other. Tea, coffee? Blake’s amber eyes traveled past her, to the other figure on the other side of the thick, dark wooded desk. A figure that stood from their chair when they saw who was at the window.

A person with white hair, blue eyes, and a scar across their left eye.

Amber eyes locked with blue ones, and Blake could feel her ears perking on her head, and she placed her other hand against the window, not believing what she was seeing.

“Blake, are you alright?” the faunus heard Yang asked.

At that moment, Weiss almost dropped her cup on the desk, almost knocking its saucer off of it as she stepped around, never leaving Blake’s eyes as she made her way to the window. The faunus followed her, trying her best to stay calm, at least until Weiss opened the window, and she could head Ruby and Yang talking above her head.

At last, Weiss almost ripped the door open, pulling Blake inside, and to her surprise, the smaller woman hugged her as if her life depended on it, and Blake was quick to hug her back, leaning her cheek on top of her hair as she closed her eyes.

“We’ve been searching for you for so long” the faunus murmured, keeping her eyes closed.

Maybe she was dreaming this. But the throbbing on her head would be a sufficient proof that she was wide awake and living the moment.

“We?” Weiss asked, pulling away slightly.

Blake nodded as she smiled, clearing her throat to ground her a little. She made the few steps separating them from the window, and looked up as she gave two pulls on the ribbon, and waited to see the heads of Ruby and Yang.

“Blake! Are you alright?” Ruby asked, this time.

Blake heard Weiss gasp behind her, and she quickly glanced over her shoulder to see her bring a hand up to hide her mouth, and Blake could see how she was trying to put on neutral mask.

“Come on” Blake waved at the two heads, then turned her attention back to Weiss.

“What does she mean, ‘come on’?” Blake heard Yang mumble. “What do you mean ‘come on’? Is Weiss there?”

The faunus heard the typical clacking of Crescent Rose extending in its scythe form, then heard the blade sinking in the wall, and three seconds later she could see red boots dangling off the window.

“Uh oh” Ruby muttered under her breath. “I thought it was enough.”

But before Blake could do anything, she heard the chiming sound of Weiss’s glyphs made the boots stopped moving as it stretched and took form a few feet under Ruby. The leader quickly pulled her scythe off the wall, folding it as she fell down on the stark white glyph, a smile splitting her face in half as she looked up to see Weiss.

As soon as Ruby stepped inside, Yang landed heavily on the center of the glyph, falling back as she cursed under her breath and grimaced slightly only to quickly stand up and jumping inside when she looked up.

When Ruby jumped on her to hug her, the glyph disappeared, for Weiss being distracted to hug her partner back.

Yang stepped closer, tears in her eyes already, and Blake looked over, remembering Weiss wasn’t alone here, and she saw Winter, sitting back in her chair with her leg crossed over her knee, sipping at her cup as she looked at the reunion with a small smile.

_I think Weiss started crying openly when Yang hugged her. If I recall correctly, the last thing she knew about her health was that she missed an arm that was poorly wrapped in a bloody rug and she was unconscious. But, at that point, I think we were all crying. All the stress, the worry, the exhaustion finally caught up in that moment. Four huntresses in training, reunited after what felt like a decade, but were in reality almost two years. A crying mess._

_There we were. A little battered, a little scared by our own personal battles, our own fears and decisions. But now, we were together again. Finally._

_And I know you didn’t raise me to be the one enjoying the misfortune of others. But I have to say that when we told Winter why we had to break in her office, and we followed her to the gate, I must say I was… pleased, to see the face of the guard as Winter stared at him, his face draining colors to be as white as a ghost._

_The building was indeed Winter’s HQ. Well, sort of. They move every few months, and before they decided to settle here this time, the building was abandoned. It’s where we slept that night, but we were so happy to be together again that we pulled all the thin mattresses we had and we settled on the floor, the four of us, squished together in the tiny cabin we shared._

_Winter seemed genuinely happy that her sister was with her team again. We talked to Weiss about Haven, about Lionheart’s offer, and she accepted right away. She even wanted to go right this moment, and Winter offered that we traveled by airship, but before any of us could say something, Weiss declined. She said that Winter had more urgent matter that required the airships, and it was fine for us to travel on foot._

_I must say, I would have preferred the airship. I think I don’t ever want to walk again. But Weiss knew more about Winter’s situation, so we didn’t complain. Winter insisted, then, to at least buy us supplies and refill our stocks and ammunitions._

_On that, nobody refused._

_And so, I was too taken away by all that to think about writing you before, but here I am. Just a few days later. But you know, some things never change. As I write this, Ruby and Weiss are bickering about… something, and Yang is just watching them beside me, eating grapes and feeding me sometimes. I must say I kind of missed this, even though I know that in two days, I will think otherwise._

_I must go, for now. It’s already late, and we have a long day of walking tomorrow. But I’m telling you, Mom, Dad; I don’t think I’ve been this happy before. I can’t wait for you to meet the team._

_P.S.: We have pictures again. Doubles. Yang took it when we were still in Winter’s office, and Weiss is clearly not crying, she just has dust in her eyes, or whatever she said. But even with her red eyes and trails of tears, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile that much._

_I think Bax will be happy to know we’re together again, now._


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a little longer than the other. for a moment I thought about making two parts, but I didn't know where to cut, so, yeah.
> 
> This is near the end of the road, friends. There will be a next chapter, but it will be more of an epilogue than anything. 
> 
> Thank you for reading. I had a lot of fun writing this. It had been quite the journey, and I'm so, so glad people liked this story so much.  
> I must say it's one of my favorite, too.

_August 17_

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_It’s been more than a year, now, since we left Menagerie. I wish I could say we are coming back home, but it seems life has other plans for us._

_We were making our way back to Haven. We were. And, I guess our plan wouldn’t have changed if we didn’t accept a small job from one small town. All in all, it was an easy job, and the only thing we wanted in exchange was a roof for the night and a meal, and the man in charge of the town gladly accepted. And so, we went deeper into the lands, through the woods._

_The report said that there were Grimm near that made the life of the hunters really difficult, and since the town depended on them for food… The townsfolks saw us as if we were sent by the Gods, and I must admit it was a pleasant coincidence. So, we went on a hunt. A really normal, easy hunt._

_Or at least it should have been._

_We indeed found a pack of Grimm, and we cleared them out easily. That isn’t what was strange about this. What was strange was that we all felt like we were being watched. We decided without speaking to act like we didn’t notice anything. But as we made our way back, I counted two, maybe three spies, in the trees, following us._

_As soon as we entered the town, the feeling vanished. So, while Weiss and Yang were talking with the townsfolks, Ruby and I decided to do a little scouting. I can easily hide in shadows, and with Ruby’s speed, she could get help if something went wrong._

_It didn’t take long for me to hear them. They were talking, not really far from where we fought the pack, and as we stalked from the trees, I could hear what they were saying. And as we got closer, I saw they all wore the White Fang’s mask. I remember looking up at Ruby, and her face… I never thought I could see that much anger on her face. I waved at her, catching her attention, and she instantly calmed, focused on our mission again._

_They were scouts, no doubt. White Fang scouts. If there are scouts here, it means that the HQ of the Mistral’s branch was near. I waved at Ruby, we had to leave; there were four of them, and two of them were about to go back in the trees. Now was not the time to get caught. And so, we got back in town as quickly and quietly as we could._

_We had to talk about this. I wanted more information about them. When I told them I wanted to follow the scouts to their HQ, or at least eavesdrop on the location of it, they were unanimous._

_We would get information._

_Tomorrow, we’re going to begin “Operation Stalker”, as Ruby calls it. I don’t know when I’ll write to you again._

_It’s going to be fine. I’ve got my team with me. And as Weiss says; we’re stronger together._

_****_

_September 29_

_Mom, Dad,_

_So much happened in the past month. In the past year. I didn’t realise that Ruby is now seventeen, and that I am nineteen. I didn’t realise that the day of our first year together, Yang and I, had come and go. Nor did my birthday. We were so focused on finding Weiss, and then on this…_

_As we talked about, we stalked the White Fang’s scouts. We had learned their rounds after the end of the first week, so getting out of the way was easier. At the start of the second week, someone coming from the outside came, and as if the nature was one with us, the leaves shuddered as we did, and I could almost feel the electricity in the air. We’ve been waiting for this._

_One of them took off, replaced by the newcomer, and we followed the scout at a safe distance. It was night; the light of the moon was enough for the team to be able to go around, but I was the one leading. I could see the lone scout as if it was day. He wouldn’t go anywhere without us._

_We followed him for hours. The sun was rising and we were still on his tail. At some point, the scout stopped, and it didn’t seem like it was some random spot. He settled at the base of a tree, and he seemed to rest. Yang wanted to get him and ask him some questions. Weiss proposed we waited, to see if he would be going a little more, or if he was meeting with someone. Besides, she added, we need rest, too._

_We took turns to keep an eye on the scout as the others slept. Ruby was the first on watch. It was Weiss that woke us up, silently, and we saw someone, another White Fang member, rousing the scout. The newcomer was smaller in every term, their silhouette frailer. Probably a woman. She gave the scout something, and as the scout reached out to take it, something flashed at us._

_I thought it was the thing that the newcomer had given him. But we were close enough to see, on the scout’s hand, large scales, shining in the sunlight, and I could feel both me and Yang tensing._

_She noticed it at the same time as I did. Duncan._

_Now that I looked at him more attentively, it was clear as day. So, the other man at the scout camp was probably Seth. Yang said something about punching him for the questions, but it wasn’t the time to blow up this operation._

_After the exchange, Duncan went off from the way we came from; no doubt, he was going back to the scout camp, and I could see Yang hesitating to catch him. But the other member was about to set off, and after a little insisting, Yang followed without complaining._

_And the woman led us to an old, seemingly abandoned warehouse. The thing was huge; we had no clue what it was doing so deep in the woods, and it was clear there were Grimm here. But the woman knew where she was going, and it was without hesitation that she entered the warehouse from a small door, at the back._

_The thing was, there weren’t any trees near the warehouse. If we wanted to peek inside, we would have to get to it in plain sight; the grass was tall, but I didn’t really trust it would hide a color as brilliant as red, or white. So this time, it was Yang and I that went ahead, Ruby and Weiss covering us from the trees. But we reached the building without incident. The windows were dirty, and we couldn’t really see through it, but there was a broken one, with a hole just big enough for me to look inside as Yang kept watch._

_There were only two things I could see; Dust, and White Fang members. This was enough to make it clear it was the headquarters. And as I was pulling away, about to tell Yang that this was the place, I saw…_

_I saw him. The man, the monster that was there at Beacon. That hurt Yang._

_Maybe he fled Vale when he felt it was too dangerous for him and decided to hide here, in Mistral._

_We had to go. We had to tell the others. We had to do something._

_Yang must have seen my face change, because she peeked in the hole, too. And she saw him before I could pull her away. It took everything from me to stop her from crashing in to make him pay. I had never seen her like that before. It wasn’t just anger I could see in her eyes; it was hate and pain._

_But we needed a plan. We couldn’t just barge in there, we had to tell the others. And eventually, she understood._

_Now that we know where their HQ is, we went back in town, to refill our stock. And so I could write this letter to you. But we have to stop him. The team was, again, unanimous about this. Something like what happened at Beacon can’t happen again._

_So, I’m saying sorry, and this time I mean it. Because we are about to do something rash and incredibly dangerous. And maybe, I won’t be able to keep my promise of bringing the team back to Menagerie. Maybe I won’t, either._

_I love you. I love you so, so much._

_////////////////////////////////_

 

_September 29_

_Hey Mom,_

_I do hope you read the first letter with Dad. And, this letter is for you, and for your eyes only. I’m sorry, Dad. This is… more personal._

_I wanted to talk to you about Yang. About us, in fact. Our relationship. What we developed, over time._

_I think that we always kept in mind that one of us could die any day, with the kind of job we want to do. With the kind of life we’re living right now. We have never taken the other for granted, and even if we sometimes talk about the future, and we make plans together, there is still the thought, like a ghost, that is always sneaking and creeping nearby._

_She is making me so happy, Mom. She has always loved me with everything she had; her heart on her sleeve, her love in her eyes, tenderness on her lips. I can’t think of anyone, or anything, that made me feel more at home than when I’m in her arms, breathing her scent and feeling her warmth. I always say Menagerie is my home, but as long as I’m with her, I couldn’t care less where we go. She is my home._

_The first time she touched me (and I don’t mean the kitchen), the first time she loved me… I always thought Yang would be, well, you know how she is. But no, she touched me as if I was made of glass, handling me with gentleness, and looked at me in awe, as if she had never seen something more beautiful in her life. Like I was one of the seven wonders. Dust, she should look at herself before thinking that. If I’m one of the wonders, she’s all seven of them._

_And she’s always been like that, loving me tenderly and softly, with a gentleness that is for me and me only, and I couldn’t even believe it at first. That brawler, that tall, blonde warrior that inspires fear in many DJs and bar owners, one that doesn’t have a shred of fear when she jumps in the beak of a giant Nevermore, I never thought she would be the biggest softy I’ve ever seen, I’ve ever felt. ‘Love’ is what she does with me, in every sense of the word._

_Dust, even when I want to spice it up, the rare times we have a room to ourselves, she manage to remind me, kissing the back of my neck as if my skin was porcelain, touching me as if she was drawing me…_

_She told me she loved me for the first time on Valentine’s Day. Breathed it in my ear as we were still panting, her voice trembling and hesitating. As if she feared I wouldn’t say it back._

_Doesn’t she know she’s the sun of my life? Doesn’t she know that she’s the only person who can make me smile just by looking at me a certain way, or make me laugh at terrible puns? Doesn’t she know that I love the sound of her voice, when she talks, when she laughs, when she breathe and pants, doesn’t she know I love the way she says my name when she laugh, the way she moans it when were intimate, doesn’t she know that hearing her snore makes me feel safe, because it means she is? Doesn’t she know all that?_

_Of course I said it back. Of course I did. I love her with everything I have, if she only knew the things I could do for her. If I could show her how much I love her, because I can’t find the right words to tell her. I don’t have enough of them to tell her what I’m feeling for her._

_But you know that talking isn’t really my forte. Even more talking about my feelings._

_I hope I make her feel the way she does to me. I hope I love her right. I hope she sees I’m trying my best to love her right. Because she deserves the best in the world, and I should give her just that, the best kind of love, pure and kind. I give her love when I cook something she loves for her without her asking me to, because I know it would cheer her up. And you know how bad a cook I am. I give her love by being there for her whenever she needs it, day and night. I give her love when we decide to take a day to rest, and I pull her with me on the grass to lie on. I give her love when I kiss the crinkle between her eyebrows when she thinks too much. I give her love as I try to tell her how much I love her._

_I may have been a little overboard with this letter, but at least you know it’s heartfelt. I should always write the things I feel; I write better than I can talk. But… the reason of this letter, Mom, is that if something were to happen to me, I wanted you to know that I am loved. I am loved so much and so right, I might be spoiled rotten already. And I want you to tell Dad that. I want him to know, too._

_And, also to tell you that if something were to happen to Yang… I know I won’t be the same again. I saw her almost die once. I can’t even imagine if she…_

_It won’t happen. I’ll make sure of that._

_I also wanted to tell you the things I never could tell you, because God, I suck at talking._

_I want to thank you for being the best mother of the world, even though I was a spoiled, shitty brat. I want to thank you for always being my best friend, for always being there for me even when I was difficult. You are the best. Period. And I do hope you believe every word you read, because it’s all true._

_I wish we had more time. I wish I wasn’t such a coward and I could tell you all that face to face. I wish I could see you cry as I say this; I think it would be the only time it wouldn’t make me sad to see you cry._

_I love you, Mom. I wish I told you more often. But I know you know. Because I’m still a brat, and I take my mother for granted._

_Tell Dad I love him, too. I love him so much. He’s the best. I couldn’t have done half the things I’ve done without his support, without his encouragement. He always believed in me, and he still does._

_Dust, what would I do without you? I have the best parents of all Remnant._

_I must go, now. For what could be our last night together, we decided to bunk up, the four of us. We could use all the comfort we can get, and now, they’re waiting for me. I don’t want to make them wait too long. I made them wait long enough._

_P.S.: Tell Baxter… tell him we love him. I’ve seen Yang playing with his knife almost all night as she stared at the stars. And I did, too._

_Thank you, Mom. For everything. For being you._

_I love you._

_****_

_November 3_

_Dear, dear Mom and Dad,_

_I’m sorry I didn’t write sooner. So much happened, I barely know where to begin._

_I’ll start at the beginning. Where I thought it would be the end. The warehouse._

_We were brave, if a lot reckless, to want to hit it with just the four of us. But who else could do something? And, more importantly, do something in time? The Dust I saw, it was all in containers, ready to be moved. It had taken us months to reach here; Winter was out of the question._

_So, it was us. We knew we would be outnumbered, when we walked in. We knew, but it wasn’t like it would be the first time._

_We just didn’t think we would be THAT outnumbered._

“God-fucking-dammit” Yang cursed, moving her head from the edge of the metal crate she was leaning her back on as bullets zipped near it, sending sparks and chipped metal in the air. “I can’t even fire back!”

Ruby winced when a bullet hit a wooden pillar beside her as she reloaded her weapon.

“I can’t even think” she muttered, leaning over to look past Yang, to the other side of the room where Blake and Weiss were.

Their crates were in a really, really bad shape, battered up with bullet holes. It wouldn’t hold much longer, so Ruby waved at them, motioning for them to join her and Yang. With a quick nod, Weiss set a glyph, protecting them as she dragged Blake with her. They fell behind the crates, Blake firing a few rounds behind her blindly, and it wasn’t long before another volley of bullets rang on their crates, making it shake against them.

“This is getting nowhere” Weiss snapped, checking her Dust stock. “We need a distraction. Ruby?”

“I’m getting there” the leader barked, quickly shouldering her weapon and firing quick shots, Yang covering her.

“The containers” Blake remembered. “They’re full of Dust!”

Ruby spun on her heels after she heard the dry click of her empty charger, falling behind their crates in sync with Yang, bullets ringing again against the metal.

“Okay” she nodded, panting. “Okay. We can maybe take shot on hit, make it explode a little, it will give us time to breathe and to move. Plus, it’ll probably knock some of them off. Good plan.”

She was patting herself, trying to find something on her belt, but after a moment she looked down, and her hand balled into a fist.

“F- Shit” she let out instead. “I’m out of ammo. Team, status!”

“I am running low on Dust. Maybe one or two use, but not more than that” Weiss was the first to report after checking her Dust barrel.

“I have maybe a dozen rounds, but they can’t travel all the way to the containers. I can give covering fire, though” Yang shrugged, shrinking when a bullet flew near them.

“Five rounds” Blake dropped, letting her head fall back against the metal.

Ruby took a few seconds to think, her eyes glancing between her teammates, before she closed them.

“Fuck” she softly let out.

“Language” Yang was quick to remind her, peeking above the crate.

“Okay” Ruby nodded, opening her eyes and glancing around. “Okay. We need something else. We need to get closer. Give me a second.”

But yet again, a shower of bullets hit their crates, and they knew just by the sound that it wouldn't hold much longer.

“I just need three seconds!” Ruby shouted in frustration, still searching around.

But they could still hear them take shots after shots, organised enough so that even when some were reloading, others were still firing. Blake stared at her weapon, running her thumb along the hilt, feeling it smoother where her hand always closed on it, and she looked up at her teammates, her friends, her family, her chest aching.

“I’m sorry” she whispered, but somehow, they all heard it, turning their heads to her in sync. “I’m sorry I dragged you along in this fight.”

“You didn’t drag us, Blake” Ruby snorted, a smile on her lips as she peeked over the crates. “We all decided to go. It’s not really dragging.”

“But, guys… Look, all I’m saying is that if I didn’t push it, we wouldn’t be here, and-”

“Blake” Weiss interrupted, readying her rapier. “We are here on our own accord. You didn’t drag us, and I think it’s a good thing we investigated further. So stop taking the blame, because there is nothing to blame you for. Now” she turned her head to Yang, “I need covering fire.”

“What?” Ruby and Yang said at the same time.

“Just do it!” she insisted, making her way around the crater. Then, she returned her attention to the faunus. “So please, stop talking like that. We’re not done yet.”

“Weiss wait!” Ruby called, reaching a hand to try and get a hold on her.

But she stepped out of cover, creating a glyph in front of her to shield her from the bullets as she walked farther from them, and Yang quickly started firing, her explosive rounds keeping the White Fang members fairly distracted.

Weiss walked as if she owned the place, her back straight, shoulders squared and chin held high, her eyes taking in the scene before her as she brought her sword closer to her chest. The team could see her take a deep breath, then she turned her rapier upside down, holding the hilt with both hands and let the tip of its blade sink in the ground as Yang’s weapon clicked dry. A large glyph spread on the ground in front of her, and for a second the Fang’s members were distracted by it, before resuming their shooting.

But the bullets never reached her. Something slowly grew out of the glyph, the rounds bouncing off what seemed to be a tall sword, and a gigantic, white knight rose from his knee to the ground, his gauntlet closing on the hilt of the sword and pulling it from the ground, positioning himself in an offensive stance.

“What the heck?” Yang breathed beside Blake, and the faunus couldn’t do much but agree with her.

Weiss spared a glance over her shoulder, her eyes locking with Blake’s for a second, and the faunus wasn’t sure what she could see in them.

Sadness. Pain. Loneliness.

But the smaller woman looked back, readying her rapier at her side, and Weiss spoke so softly that even Blake strained to hear.

“Go.”

Instantly, the giant knight launched forward, sweeping his blade in front of him in a large arc, catching many White Fang members, and Weiss zipped right under him, sending shards of ice to the nearest members the first sweep had missed.

Behind her, the team was stunned. Blake blinked a few times as Yang looked like she was hesitating between staying there and helping Weiss, and Ruby was beaming.

“Yeah, Weiss! That’s my partner!” she shouted, using her hands as a voice over. “Get ‘em!”

Weiss fought like a lioness, fierce and powerful, slashing and thrusting her blade in sync with the tall knight. Together, they made the Fang fall back, closer to the containers, and the team decided to step closer, gaining what little ground they could. But they could see their teammate was tiring, and quickly.

After one last sweep of the giant, Weiss set a glyph in front of the knight, and he threw his sword towards the containers, the blade going through the glyph to set it on fire. But as the sword was nearing it, it disappeared, along with the giant knight, the tall figure crumbling slowly as Weiss reeled, taking a step back, letting her blade sink in the ground to lean on it as she panted.

Ruby was about to yell at her to get out of the way, but Yang was already running to her, tackling Weiss as the blonde rolled on her shoulder to the nearest cover, keeping the petite woman in her arms.

Blake and Ruby went on separate covers, the faunus settling behind a large pillar and Ruby behind another crate. But even after Weiss’s stunt, they still needed to do something.

“You alright?” she heard the blonde ask Weiss.

Blake leaned over to look at them, just in time to see the very trembling, weak thumb-up the smaller woman made along with a small smile. The poor thing was exhausted.

“It was awesome, Weiss!” Ruby shouted from behind her crate. “I wish I could high-five you!”

But Blake could see the worry starting to grow on her face as her silver eyes kept scanning around, trying to find something that could help them. And just above her head, the faunus could see, on a catwalk a few feet in the air, White Fang members trying to flank them. And, as her eyes trailed to the end of it, her gaze stopped at a wooden crate, the corner slashed from Weiss’s knight’s blade, exposing the Dust crystals that were inside. Flaring red in the light.

She took her decision right then, as her hand reached to the small pouch at her belt.

“Yang!”

The blonde snapped her head towards her instantly, attentive, and Blake threw something at her as she started running towards Ruby, her weapon shifting to its sword form. She saw in the corner of her eye that Yang had caught it and looked down, recognising instantly Baxter’s folded knife.

“Blake?” she asked, her eyes filled with uncertainty and fear.

For a split second, their eyes met, and time seemed to stop. She could hear distinctly every beat her heart took, hear every breath she took, and she could see Yang’s left hand slowly closing on the knife, her face falling as she realised what Blake was about to do.

“I love you” the faunus softly breathed, and time seemed to get back on track.

“No! Ruby, get her!” Yang yelled, panicked.

As she was passing her leader, she could feel Ruby’s hand on her arm, and her eyes locked with silver for a second. Bhe looked away as Ruby’s hand closed on one of her shadows.

The faunus jumped on the crate, then threw Gambol Shroud for it to twirl around a handrail to pull her up on the catwalk, landing only a few feet in front of a surprised White Fang member. Blake didn’t let them come back from their surprise; in one swift movement, she kicked them off. She made her way quickly and efficiently through them, reaching the Dust filled crate in record time, still hearing Ruby and Yang shouting in the back.

She took one of the crystals, checking it quickly. This was premium quality. Schnee Dust Company quality. Not a single imperfection in it. She didn’t have more time to be amazed as a few bullets flew her way, and she crouched out of the way, cursing under her breath as she could see a few members that spotted her, down below. Moving quickly, staying out of sight, she checked the containers. She just needed a hole, room for her to throw it in. It would burst on impact, and make the others explode.

She closed her eyes, knowing that she was probably too close to survive the explosion.

When she opened her eyes, she gasped; right in front of her was a container with one of its doors half closed, and inside, she could see other crystals shine in the dim light. She stood, taking in a deep breath. She had gotten used to the weight of the crystal. There was no wind. Just a couple of feet between her and her objective.

She could do this.

She exhaled slowly, hearing the bullets ricochet on the catwalk. If she had to get shot in the process, then so be it. She took another deep breath, feeling her hand steady, and she threw it.

She guessed that survival instinct kicked in. As soon as the crystal left her hand, she started running the other way, already knowing it would land precisely where she wanted. She had the time to make a few feet when she heard the crystal shatter, and she launched herself forward, behind a thin-looking, rusted metal wall, and everything exploded.

 

/////////////////////// 

 

They felt the blast more than they heard it. Yang curled around Weiss, still gathered in her arms, to try and shield her as best she could, and Ruby hid behind her crate, shielding her head with her arms. They could hear the fire roar, people screaming and pieces of metal screeching and creaking as they fell around heavily.

Some bodies landed near them, too, pushed by the blast. When Ruby chanced a glance above her shoulder, letting her arms fall back to her sides, she saw, a few feet from her, a long white coat with the edge slowly burning, and long, black hair sprawled around on the ground.

Blake.

Her heart stopped dead in her chest as she crawled to her, pushing the scraps of metal aside and off of her friend. Quickly, she pressed two fingers on her neck, just under her jaw, searching for a pulse, and she sighed in relief.

A pulse. Slow, a little out of pace, but still there.

She stomped on the burning coat to extinguish it, then quickly looked over the faunus, searching for wounds. A few cuts on her face and arms, a few burns too, one of her ears atop her head had a deep cut, blood seeping out and of it and sliding in her hair. Ruby tried not to move her too much, in case she had broken bones, or worst, her spine was hurt, and she pressed her cheek on the ground to look at her face, seeing that the side on the ground was scratched.

At that moment Blake grunted softly, her eyebrows furrowing, and Ruby sat back on her haunches, looking up to see Yang had just now raised her head and was searching around. Her eyes fell on them, and Ruby could see panic settle in her eyes when her gaze fell on Blake, but Ruby raised a hand, nodding with a smile, and the blonde instantly relaxed, keeping her eyes glued to them.

Ruby returned her attention to the faunus, resting a hand on her shoulder, and Blake opened her eyes, blinking a few times.

“Blake?” she called softly.

The faunus grimaced, bringing her hands to her ears and cupping them, curling on herself slightly.

“Not so loud” she muttered, her voice cracking and rough.

Ruby couldn’t help but chuckle, feeling her eyes prickle as she leaned down, pressing her forehead against Blake’s, feeling one of the faunus’s hands squeezing her arm.

“Can you sit?” Ruby quietly asked after she pulled away, keeping one of Blake’s hands in hers.

“God, everything hurts” the faunus mumbled, grimacing, but she still sat on the ground, bringing a hand up to her face to touch the scratch.

“Your ear…” Ruby pointed.

Blake reached up, hissing as soon as her fingers met the soft fur.

“Does it look bad?” she asked, looking up.

“I don’t know” the leader shrugged. “It looks like a deep cut. Like a chunk of it has been torn off.”

Blake sighed, her hand falling back to her lap as she glanced around, taking in the destruction she had caused.

“Well, another scar of war” she breathed. “What’s the status?”

Ruby raised her eyebrows, glancing around as she offered her hand to Blake after standing up.

“I can say for sure that they weren’t expecting us” she chuckled. “But… apparently they had more guys in the back.”

Blake stayed on the ground as if she didn’t notice the hand Ruby was offering, her eyes narrowing.

“They’re not White Fang” She shook her head, then close her eyes, grimacing as she brought a hand up to hold her head. “They’re Atlas military.”

_What we didn’t know when we entered the warehouse, was that this place was the reason Winter was in Mistral. She was gathering information about the Mistral branch of the White Fang, and there was a spy posted just outside the warehouse. And when they saw four huntresses entering the HQ of the White Fang, they jumped on their airship._

_Winter gathered her troops in a hurry and came as fast as she could, and the airships landed as the containers exploded. I can’t even imagine what was passing through her mind, because she knew it was us. The spy had described us. Maybe that’s why she had reacted so fast._

Atlas troops flooded the warehouse in a wave of white as Ruby pulled Blake against Yang for her to rest, the blonde quickly kissing the top of her head even though her hair was sticky from blood, dirt and sooth. Blake’s eyes fell on Weiss, strangely silent after everything, and before she could talk she heard Yang gasp, and feel her body temperature rising. Amber eyes looked up, and her heart sank in her chest.

Up there. On the catwalk. Walking through the flames and torn metal, silently taking in the damage, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

Adam.

Blake looked to the side, seeing Yang’s face twisted as she quickly set Weiss down.

“You stay with her” Yang ordered without looking at her, her eyes glued to the man. “I have something to deal with.”

“Wait!”

But she didn’t listen. Yang was already jumping on the crate, then on the catwalk, and Blake implored Ruby silently, the younger woman nodding as she quickly followed her sister. She followed them with her eyes, and in a second of silence she could hear breathing. No, not breathing.

Wheezing.

Frowning, the faunus looked back to Weiss, sitting beside her, slightly leaned against her shoulder as she kept her eyes closed. She was pale. Far too pale.

“Weiss, are you alright?” Blake asked, angling her head so she could look at her face.

The smaller woman huffed, leaning her cheek against Blake’s shoulder as she opened her eyes tiredly, blue locked with amber for a few seconds. Then, Weiss looked down at her stomach, grimacing.

“I’ve been better” she breathed, unwrapping her arms from her stomach, and pulled the hand she kept pressed against her away slightly, stained with blood, shaking.

Blake looked up at her as one of her hands pressed on top of Weiss’s, making her whine quietly.

“Weiss, why didn’t you say something?” the faunus exclaimed, then gently pulled the smaller woman to her, checking her back. “The bullet went through. Dust, you’ve been bleeding all this time, why didn’t you say something?”

“You know how Ruby fights when she’s worried” Weiss sighed, grimacing when the faunus put a little more pressure on the wound.

“Goddammit, Weiss, it’s serious! You’re bleeding out!”

“I know.”

The smaller woman tried to smile, but it failed miserably, and she leaned her head back against the wall, staring at the ceiling, blinking slowly. Blake looked down at her stomach, and she could already see the blood pooling on the ground, and she cursed under her breath.

“I’m scared, Blake” she heard Weiss whisper. “I don’t want to die.”

“Dust, Weiss” Blake let out, her voice cracking. “Hold on, okay? They must have a medic somewh-”

“I can’t feel my legs” Weiss continued as if she didn’t hear her. “And I’m cold. I’ve been cold a lot of times in my life, but never like this. This, this is terrifying.”

She felt a cold shiver run down her spine as her ears fell flat on her head, and with a trembling hand she took Weiss’s, her thumb rubbing the cold skin. Blake was racking her brain, searching for something she could do when piercing blue eyes stared at her, a soft, small smile pulled Weiss’s pale lips.

“I’m glad I’m with you” she quietly said. “I’m glad we got to know each other better. You are my best friend, Blake Belladonna. I’m proud of it.”

The faunus huffed, a lump in her throat, and she released Weiss’s hand to reach up, brushing a few strands of white hair out of her face.

“You are my best friend too, Weiss Schnee. And I’m really proud of it.”

The smaller woman snorted, her smile inching larger.

“Of course you do. I’m a delight.”

The sudden shouting of voices above them made Blake look up, and she was about to scream for help when she felt a small, ice-cold hand close on her wrist, and her attention returned to Weiss.

“I wish I could have met your parents” the smaller woman murmured, her eyes starting to lose their focus. “I wish I could have met Baxter. They seem nice. I wish I could have been your maid of honor when you get married.”

“Weiss-”

“I wish I wasn’t so hard on everyone, I wish I let you in earlier. I wish I told you how much I love you, guys. This team is more a family than I’ll ever have. Tell them that for me, okay?”

“Weiss, stop-”

“No, listen” Weiss said, blinking, but it took an awfully long time for her to lift her eyelids again. “I don’t have much time-”

“No, _you_ listen, Schnee” Blake interrupted her, her voice waving and cracking. “Shut up for two seconds and fight, you hear? Stay with me. You are the most stubborn person I’ve ever met, Weiss. You _are_ going to be my maid of honor.”

A soft smile pulled her lips for a second, her eyes locking with Blake, and her eyes closed, the smile still on her lips. Blake waited for her to blink them open, but as the seconds went on, the faunus felt her throat tighten, her eyes filled with tears.

“Weiss?” she called, her voice rising in pitch.

But the smaller woman didn’t answer. Didn’t move. Blake tried to shake her, a sob racking her chest, but when the smaller woman still didn’t move, Blake quickly pressed her fingers against Weiss’s alabaster neck, feeling the faint, slow pulse.

Unconscious. She’s just unconscious.

Still, panic settled for good inside her, gripping her heart and making her head run wild, and it was as if her body acted on its own when she gathered Weiss in her arms, jerked her head back, and screamed.

 

////////////////////////////////// 

 

Yang was standing in front of Adam, her eyes flaring red, her hair smoking. She could see Ruby stop beside her, glancing quickly at her before focusing on the man in front of them, her face serious.

The man didn’t seem surprised to see them, and a small smirk appeared on his lips as he bowed slightly his head.

“I see I can do it all over again” he said, pointing with his chin at Yang’s right arm.

Yang growled as she felt her face twisting, taking a step forward, but Ruby’s voice stopped her.

“He’s playing with you, Yang. He wants you to lose your temper.”

The man turned his mask towards the young leader, his smirk inching larger.

“Ruby Rose” he bent forward in a mock bow. “Roman told me about you. Said you were a handful little red.”

“Leave her out of this” Yang growled, stepping in front of her sister.

“Is she my love’s friend?” he asked, already knowing the answer. “Then I can’t leave her out of this!”

He unsheathed his blade so fast, Yang lost him for a second, and she instinctively raised her right arm in front of her. The blazing red blade met the metal of her arm, clanking loudly, but it didn’t go through, and Yang raised her eyes, staring into the thin slits of his mask.

“Seems you can’t cut this one” the blonde grinned.

For a short second, his smirk disappeared, instead the corner of his lips twitched, and the blonde grabbed the blade with her prosthetic hand, hurling her other fist to his face. He dodged her attack as he pulled on his sword, but the blonde held it with a firm grip, and when he saw, in the corner of his eye, the red scythe coming he released the hilt, crouching.

Yang threw the blade far behind her, hearing it clanking when it fell on the catwalk. Knocking her fists together, a grin pulling her lips as a wave of heat surrounded her, she stepped in, thinking she had the advantage.

Turns out, he was good with hand-to-hand combat. They both landed good hits, and they moved too fast for Ruby to help. Yang cursed internally, thinking that if she still had a few rounds, this fight would be over already, but as she started to tire, pearls of sweat glinting on her forehead, she saw Ruby sweeping the back of her scythe near the ground.

She wanted to make him trip. And so Yang grabbed him by the collar and jumped, leaning her weight on him, the scythe effectively catching his feet and making him fall on his back. He was quick to recover, jumping back to his feet, but it gave Yang enough time to give him a really well placed punch just under his chin, with her prosthetic.

She felt the reverberation up to her shoulder, and was more than satisfied when she saw he was reeling, his aura flaring.

Good. He was soon out of it.

She stepped closer, grabbing him by the collar with her left hand and punched him in the face, his aura flaring again.

“That was for me” she hissed through gritted teeth.

The second punch was even harder than the first, but she couldn't care less about the pieces of metal that went flying in the air, because his aura was flashing, now.

“That’s for everything you’ve done.”

And she hit him again. This time, his aura break, and his mask cracked.

“That’s for Blake then.” She paused, punching him again. “That’s for Blake now.”

His face was already covered in blood, his nose probably broken and missing a few teeth, but she still raised her fist again, her eyes blood red.

“And this is-”

“Enough” interrupted a voice, a hand wrapping around the prosthetic’s wrist.

Yang pulled on it harshly, about to yell at Ruby as she looked back, but instead her eyes went up, the figure much taller than Ruby, clad in white and staring down at her with piercing blue eyes.

Winter.

“We need him alive” the older woman said calmly.

“He’s still alive even if he doesn’t have any teeth left” the blonde growled back, her eyes still red.

“Alive and able to talk” Winter insisted dryly.

Yang felt her face twist, and she looked back at the man who had terrified her in her dreams for so long, his head dangling of, blood mixed with saliva dripping from his parted lips, and she huffed, letting go of his collar. He fell to the ground with a flat noise, and as soon as she stood, soldiers came closer and carried him out of the warehouse as Winter was giving instructions, her voice loud and clear.

When she looked back at Ruby, she could feel how exhausted she was, and she could see, at Ruby’s relived look, that her eyes had come back to their normal colors. She didn’t even know how much time had passed since they first walked in the warehouse, she only knew it had been far too long. She opened her mouth to say something, but she saw Ruby looking down, her face scrunching up in worry as her younger sister stepped closer, grabbing her arm.

“Yang are you hurt?” she quickly asked, looking up.

“I feel fine” the blonde shrugged. “Why?”

“Because that is a lot of blood” Ruby pointed Yang’s front jacket, and when the blonde looked down, she felt her blood run cold.

“Holy shit” she murmured as she looked up, locking her eyes with Ruby’s. “Wei-”

“ _HELP!_ ”

They both froze, and they could see Winter’s head snap to the side, towards the scream. Without a word, Ruby and Yang jumped off the catwalk, landing heavily on the ground, running back to a sight they didn’t want to see; Weiss cradled in Blake’s arms as the faunus was crying, rocking them back and forth slowly, a puddle of fresh blood on the spot where Weiss was.

“I need an airship ASAP!” they hear Winter command, and her voice didn’t left place for argument. “And a medic!”

“Ma’am, there’s no medic with us” one of the soldiers timidly reminded.

“Where’s the nearest hospital?” Ruby asked, her eyes glued to her partner. “A clinic, anything.”

“Fourteen miles south-east” Winter answered instantly.

Ruby nodded, crouching beside Blake and gently taking Weiss in her arms.

“I can make it in four minutes” she said, her voice clear.

She hefted her a little higher in her arms, preparing to depart, and Yang heard the quiet words she said before disappearing in a flurry of petals.

“Not again. Not again. I will make it in time.”

_I was in shock, and that’s not a surprise. It took us fifteen minutes to reach the clinic. I can’t remember any of it, butYang told me. When we arrived, Ruby had passed out, having used all her aura to make it in time, and she did. Weiss was in surgery. Yang told me they had to pry me off of her so they could examine us, and I had a mild concussion, a few sore ribs, some cuts and light burns plus the cut on my ear but that was it._

_Yang had a few teeth loose, several cuts on the inside of her cheeks and tongue, a fractured nose and several bruises, plus the exhaustion, but nothing really serious. Same for Ruby. Yang had broken several parts of her prosthetic hand, But Winter brushed it off, saying General Ironwood would be glad to give her another after he hears that it was us that finally got our hands on Adam Taurus._

_Weiss, on the other hand…_

_I don’t even know how long we waited. She spent hours in surgery. Winter was waiting with us, but she didn’t talk much. She asked if we were all right, but that was about it. She stayed up, guarding the door with an impassible face, stoic, as cold as a block of ice. If she was anything like her sister, I knew this stoic mask was there just to downplay her worry._

_Weiss use it often._

_When a doctor finally emerged from the door, we jumped to our feet, but… he could only give information to the patient’s family. So they went a little farther the hallway, but I could still hear what they were saying, and Ruby and Yang stared at me as I was eavesdropping._

_Weiss had lost so much blood that she went into cardiac arrest two times, and they had to boost her with adrenaline to make her heart beat again. The bullet had gone through, but it ricocheted against her last rib upon exit, and the bullet was fragmented. Fortunately, the shards didn’t puncture anything vital, but if they stayed there, they could continue moving and that could end up with complications, so that’s why they had to take them out. But even if, in theory, Weiss was alright, she had lost a whole lot of blood, and the doctor wasn’t sure if she would make it through the night. They had to keep her in constant surveillance until they were sure she was stable._

_Winter had thanked the doctor, and she looked straight at me. She knew I had heard. And for a split second, I could see her mask wavering. But she straightened her back, cleared her throat, and left. I can’t say the same. I was still in shock, with a concussion, and with feelings. We were crying, all three of us. But Yang kept reminding us that she is though, for a pipsqueak. And the most stubborn person we’ve ever met._

_And so, we waited. We couldn't go in the room, but there was a window, and we kept watch. She made it through the night, and her vitals kept getting stronger. Once the doctor made sure she was stable, he transferred Weiss into a room we had access to, and we never left her alone, not once. We were all there, waiting for her to wake up._

_If she would wake up._

_After four long days, Weiss decided it was time._

She stirred from her sleep, feeling something move against her head, and when she flicked her ears, pain flared from one of them, and she grimaced, grunting. She opened her eyes when she heard a soft gasp, and she straightened her head, seeing that Weiss had opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling. She must have seen the faunus move because she looked down, and her sky-blue eyes locked with amber ones.

“Is this heaven?” Weiss asked, her voice raspy from misuse and she furrowed her brows slightly.

Blake shook her head, a smile splitting her face in half as she shook Yang’s shoulder, the lump in her throat too tight for her to say a word while Weiss cleared her throat, looking down at her hand in confusion.

“I… I thought I died” she breathed, still not sure she believed what she was seeing.

Yang sighed as she straightened her back, stretching with a grunt, until she realised Weiss was awake, and the blonde almost pushed Ruby down her chair when she shook her up while Blake took Weiss’s hands in hers.

“You really are stubborn” Blake squeaked, not even trying to hide how relieved she was. “The best kind of stubborn.”

Weiss smiled, her hands squeezing Blake’s, and her eyes darted quickly to Yang, still trying to wake Ruby up.

“Who is going to be your maid of honor if I’m not here?” she whispered to the faunus, winking even though her eyes were tired, a small smile on her lips as she laid back on her pillows.

Blake smiled as she huffed, hearing Ruby start crying after finally waking up, and she buried her face in the covers against Weiss’s thigh as her tears started to fall, feeling Yang’s hand rubbing her back as Ruby and Yang talked to Weiss.

_Two days later, we had the misfortune of meeting Weiss’s father and little brother, who, if I recall correctly, Yang called them respectively “Jerk Schnee” and “Shitley”. To Yang’s pleasure, Weiss approved of these names._

_Winter stood there the entire time, in the back of the room, as “Jerk” kept insulting Weiss, and when we tried to step in, he then proceeded to insult us. I was the animal, of course, the lesser thing that shouldn’t even be in this room with them. Yang was the brute that hadn’t a shred of battle etiquette, as he put it, and he said she didn’t have an ounce of brain. Then Ruby was the child that should be in kindergarten instead of ‘leading’ this joke of a team. Classy, don’t you think?_

_We didn’t really mind. We kind of expected it. It was when he tried to bring back Weiss with him, threatening us with his guards, that Ruby lost her temper._

_And for Ruby to lose her temper, he has to be a jerk._

_She threatened him, actually threatened the king of the SDC Empire of throwing his guards out Weiss’s room window, and then would ask ‘the brute’ (enter Yang) to throw him out with them. And Weiss noted that it wasn’t very high, he would be left with a broken leg or arm, maybe both. In any case, nothing major._

_God, I am so proud of them._

_After what felt like an eternity of profanities, he finally left after Ruby had to use a little visual threat (which was unfolding her scythe for the guards to see). After they left, it took a full minute for Weiss to register what happened, and she laughed. She laughed so hard, we though she was about to reopen her wound, but she just kept laughing. After a moment, though, she calmed down, and she was whipping tears from her face as she told us that her father was probably going to rob her blind and going to banish her from every SDC shops._

_But God, she said, it was so worth it._

_We had to wait a few weeks for Weiss to be well enough to make the trip to Haven, by airship, of course. Thank you Winter. And it was there that we decided to stay through Weiss’s convalescence._

_Today, Haven’s headmaster, Lionheart, told us his offer was still standing. But after our long journey, and for Weiss to fully recover, he told us that we had two months of “forced vacation”, as he called it, so we could come back for the winter classes._

_I talked to the team, and they were unanimous._

_I’m writing this letter to you to let you know that we’ll depart from Haven in maybe a week or two, depending on Weiss’s health._

_I’m keeping my promise, Mom, Dad. You’re going to meet the team. I’m bringing them home._


	14. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this, is reeeaaaaally long. It wasn't suposed to be this long at first, but dang it, I don't want this story to end, too, and like always, I just kept adding to it, and it's also why I'm posting it after a thousand years later.
> 
> So yeah, here it is. The epilogue. Sort of.
> 
> Anyway, i hope you like it!

“Do you think they received my letters?” Blake asked anxiously as she tugged on Yang’s hand, catching the blonde’s attention.

“Well, I hope so, if not… Surprise!” Yang replied, waving her hands in front of her.

“Is it always this hot here? Doesn’t look like it’s November” Ruby noted, glancing around as she held the straps of her back pack.

“Can we slow down the pace?” Weiss sighed, dragging her luggage on the two small wheels that didn’t really work on the road of dirt. “I’m trying not to reopen the hole in my stomach.”

They all stopped to turn around, looking at Weiss, following a few paces behind as she huffed and puffed, cursing under her breath at the holes and bumps on the road.

“Sorry” Blake apologised, a small smile on her lips. “I’m excited.”

She walked back to her friend as Ruby linked her arm with the smaller woman, and Yang reached a hand to the handle.

“Is this too heavy?” she asked.

“I can carry my own luggage, thank you” Weiss answered dryly, swatting her hand away. “And I can walk by myself. I’m just tired, not incapable.”

But she still leaned some of her weight against Ruby, dragging loudly the case by the handle, and they started off again, at a much slower pace. Then, Blake remembered what Ruby had said.

“To answer your question, Ruby” she started, gaining her leader’s attention. “There’s no snow in Menagerie. But if you think this, is hot” she said, motioning to the sky and towards the sun, “you should see in summer.”

And Yang grunted loudly, making the faunus chuckle quietly while Ruby hummed, her eyes still glancing around, taking in the tall palm trees and the small houses, sprawled around, as they were making their way down the hill.

“Do you think they received the letter in time?” Blake asked to Yang, glancing up at her, her eyebrows furrowing.

“Blake” Yang sighed with a smile. “Stop worrying. Even if they didn’t receive the last letter, I’m sure they’ll be overjoyed to know we’re here. And if they did receive it, pretty sure Kali has been pacing on the porch since then, waiting for us.”

The faunus smiled, huffing. The blonde was right. And as they got closer, they could better see the Belladonna household, and a small figure, walking back and forth on the porch. Blake’s ears perked up as Yang chuckled, noticing it at the same time.

“See? Kali’s waiting for us.”

“What? Where is she?” Ruby asked, narrowing her eyes as the blonde pointed at the house.

The faunus was about to call for her mother when she noticed Weiss, her face neutral, staring at the house. But Blake could see her clenched jaw, and the worry in her eyes. The faunus leaned in, setting a gentle hand on her arm, and squeezed lightly.

“Don’t worry, Weiss” she said quietly, blue eyes turning and locking with hers. “They don’t care about your name.”

“What if they do?” she asked softly, in a breath, returning her eyes to the house, to the figure that had stopped their pacing.

“Oh, by the way” Yang interrupted, not knowing about the quiet conversation. “Be ready for Ghira. He’s… tall.”

“What do you mean, ‘tall’?” Ruby asked, scoffing. “We’ve seen plenty of tall people.”

“Yeah, but not like that” the blonde assured, a large smile on her lips.

At that moment, Blake’s ears perked up again, twitching to the house as she heard her mother’s voice.

“Ghira… Ghira! They’re here!” she exclaimed, banging on the door as she kept her eyes on the team, a large, beaming smile on her lips.

She didn’t wait for her husband to answer as she climbed down the stairs, and Blake had already let her back pack fall to run the distance to her mother, who opened her arms widely for her.

“Oh, my baby girl” Kali whispered, her voice trembling and tears in her eyes as she closed them, leaning her cheek against her daughter’s head. “My beautiful, brave and strong girl. I missed you so, so much.”

She kissed her temple a few times loudly, making Blake laugh as she hugged her mother tighter, burying her face in her neck.

“I missed you too, Mom” she quietly whispered.

“Oh, you” Kali said as the rest of the team was closer, extending her hand to Yang. “Come on.”

As soon as her hand closed on hers, Kali pulled the blonde in her arms with Blake, her head squished between theirs.

“My little bees!” she almost whined as she hugged them as close as she could. “I’m so glad to see you!”

Yang chuckled along with Blake as they heard the older woman sniffle, and she leaned her cheek against her head, smiling.

“It’s nice to see you too, Kali.”

The older woman took a deep breath before pulling away, then proceeded to cup her daughter’s cheeks to kiss her forehead, and did the same for Yang, and then she quickly whipped her eyes, clearing her throat as her eyes looked past the blonde, smiling.

“You are Ruby” she noted as she extended her hand, placing her other hand on top of Ruby’s when she took it.

“And you’re Blake’s mother” the leader smiled widely. “She has your smile! And gosh, I love your earrings, they’re so cool! What are you waiting for, Blake? You’ll look even more badass, added with that cut!”

Kali raised her eyebrows and glanced to her daughter, who rolled her eyes with a smile, but now she could see the injured ear. The left one, near the tip of it, a chunk of it was missing. But it did give her daughter a certain look.

“I like you” the older woman smiled as she looked back, making Blake and Yang laugh and Ruby smile even more widely.

Then her eyes turned on the last member of the team, quietly standing a few steps behind. As if she was expecting she would be overlooked.

“And you are Weiss” Kali stepped closer as she spoke softly, still managing to startle the young woman. “The survivor.”

Weiss blinked a few times before shifting slightly, clearing her throat.

“I think we all are in some way, Ma’am” the smaller woman replied quietly, toying with her hands.

Kali made a face, crinkling her nose as she snorted, waving a hand in front of her.

“Oh, please” she said, offering her hand. “I’m Kali. I know a lot about you and it’s as if I already know you, so please, call me that.”

Her smile was kind and sincere, and she looked genuinely happy to see her, and after just a moment of hesitation (and Blake’s face turning from genuine happiness to mildly threatening above the woman’s shoulder as the seconds went by), she took the offered hand, and Kali did the same she did for Ruby, pressing her other hand on top of hers.

“I really love your hair, it’s so long!” the woman was enchanted.

“Thank you. I grow them myself.”

Kali’s eyebrows shot up high on her forehead in sync with Blake’s and Ruby while Yang started cackling, and Weiss closed her eyes, embarrassed.

“I meant… I meant just thank you.”

“There’s no need to be nervous, really” Kali laughed softly, patting her hand.

Weiss tried a small smile to the kind woman, who returned it immediately, when a deep, low voice made her jump.

“Blake!”

“Dad!” the younger faunus exclaimed as a tall, gigantic man stepped out of the house and down the stairs, catching his daughter in his arms to hug her.

Weiss could feel her face paling, and the sense of easiness Kali had just set disappeared, replaced by a single thought.

_I can’t do this._

She felt Blake’s mother patting her hand again, and she glanced at her, seeing a kind smile on her lips.

“He only _looks_ terrifying, honey.”

 

****

 

“Do you think Baxter’s home?” Yang asked Kali.

They were all inside after Ghira had introduced himself to a really amazed Ruby and a silently terrified Weiss, and Blake’s parents stopped at the blonde’s question, glancing to each other.

“There is something we need to tell you” Kali started quietly. “Maybe you should sit down.”

“Is Baxter alright?” Blake asked, her eyebrows furrowing, overlooking her mother’s suggestion to sit.

“Yes, he is” she nodded. “It’s Julia.”

“Is she alright?” Yang asked this time, a dreadful feeling settling in her chest.

“Julia…”

Kali trailed of, toying with her hands for a moment, and Ghira stepped closer to her, setting a hand on her back.

“Passed away” he quietly finished for her.

It took a few seconds for Blake and Yang to register the information, blinking.

“What?” Blake finally exclaimed. “But she said-”

“The disease was more aggressive than the doctor thought” her mother interrupted. “It spread faster than he expected. He tried everything to keep her from pain.”

Only now Blake decided to sit on the couch as Yang remained up, both of them silent for a moment. Ruby and Weiss silently and discreetly sat beside Blake, the leader gently taking her hand as the faunus looked up to her mother.

“When?” she asked in a breath.

“A couple of months ago” Ghira answered. “We took Baxter with us, but… He’s still shaken up.”

“Where is he, then?” Yang asked, her face stoic.

“Well, he’s young and fast, and I’m old and not as fast as I used to be” Kali answered in a sigh. “We don’t really know where he is. He comes and goes. Once I searched for him for two whole days, and I found him curled up in your bed.”

Blake and Yang glanced at each other, silent, and after a few seconds the blonde gave a tiny nod, and Blake stood, already walking towards the door.

“I’ll bring him back” she announced as she left.

 

**** 

 

It didn’t take her long to find the right stone. The cemetery seemed to be empty of people, but she still made her way there, to pay her respects to a woman she barely knew, but had trusted the most important person of her life to her. Blake stood there, silent, as the wind blew a soft breeze that made her coat move and wave, sticking to her legs, as the soft rustle of the leaves was the only thing she could hear. She raised her eyes to the sky, seeing it so blue and cloudless as she let out a bone deep sigh, closing her eyes for a second. And as she was about to leave, she saw something, in the corner of her eye.

“Blake?”

His voice was changed, somehow. Still small and high, but… sad. And tired. Blake turned around to look at him, hiding behind a tree, and she could see his eyes widening as he gasped.

“Baxter…”

Blake set a knee on the ground, never leaving his eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Bax…”

She could see his matted hair, dirty, and his face equally dirty as his eyes filled with tears and spilled on his cheeks, and he pinched his lips as he made his way to her, sniffling. Without a word, without a sound besides his sniffling, he looped his arms around her neck, and Blake wrapped her arms around him, rubbing his back as she leaned her cheek on top of his head. She noticed that he was taller, his shoulders ever so slightly filling the space of her arms, now.

After a long moment, it didn’t seem he wanted to let go, so Blake hefted him in her arms, grunting slightly as she did.

“You’re heavier than I remember” she mumbled under her breath.

But he still didn’t say anything, silently crying with his face buried in her shoulder as he clung to her. Desperately. Making sure she wouldn’t go anywhere.

“Let’s get you home” she murmured in his ear.

This time, he nodded, his grip tightening as Blake gave one last look at the stone, then she made her way out of the cemetery.

 

**** 

 

Yang had set Blake’s and her luggage in Blake’s bedroom, and Kali showed Ruby and Weiss around as Ghira excused himself to his office, saying he had a report to finish if he wanted to have dinner with them. After the tour, Yang helped them choose a room, and they were back to the living room, waiting, as Kali prepared some tea.

Well, Yang was waiting, rubbing her thigh as she looked outside while Ruby chatted with Kali, Weiss listening and participating politely. The blonde kept bouncing her leg as she rubbed it, tapping her chin with her prosthetic finger until Weiss set a soothing hand on her bouncing knee without looking, her thumb rubbing gently. The bouncing stopped as Yang looked at her, and Weiss glanced over her shoulder, sending her a small smile, but it was enough. The blonde sighed, feeling her shoulders relaxing a little, and she took the smaller woman’s hand, squeezing it once as both of them turned their attention on the conversation.

It’s not like Blake was gone a long time. Maybe just past an hour, now. But as soon as she saw Kali’s ear twitch, then saw her look over at the front door, Yang was already on her feet as Blake opened the door, trying to keep Baxter up with one arm.

“Look who’s there” Blake murmured to the boy, pointing at the blonde with her chin, a small smile on her lips.

The boy sniffed, shifting in her arms to look over his shoulder as Yang stepped closer, her hand already rubbing his back.

“Hey, little man” the blonde smiled, seeing his already wet eyes water up again.

He twisted his body so he could climb into Yang’s arms, Blake sighing in relief when he did, stretching slightly. The blonde hugged him closely, setting her left hand on his head protectively as she rocked him from side to side, her eyes closed as buried her face in his hair, dirty or not. Blake could see his shoulders trembling, jumping and falling in sync with his quiet sobs, and after petting Baxter’s head, then brushing her fingers against Yang’s arms, she made her way beside her mother, who was now standing.

“I found him at the cemetery” Blake quietly reported. “I think he was hiding. I don’t think he expected me there.”

Her mother sighed, her eyes falling on the blonde and red head.

“He was expecting me, probably.”

At that moment Yang pulled away just enough she could see his face, and she started whipping his eyes, the trail of his tears snaking clearer path on his dirty cheeks.

“Wait, are you even Baxter?” she said playfully, trying to look at him better. “Is this really my little man under all this dirt?”

She successfully made him chuckle quietly as he sniffled again, and he started rubbing at his eyes.

“Let’s get you cleaned up, so I can find my man again. Okay?”

She hefted him in her arms and he nodded, and she did it again, this time making him smile as he sniffed, then they took off towards the bathroom.

“When I found him in your bed” Kali said, her eyes staring at the hallway where Yang had disappeared, “He was sleeping with the pictures you sent. He keeps them on him.”

“Really?” Blake asked, a strange feeling settling in her chest as she followed her mother’s stare.

It was warm. It was nice. Kind of what she would feel when she would look at Yang when she’s sleeping.

“He really missed you” her mother nodded, turning her attention to her daughter as she took her hand.

They could hear water splashing and the warm laugh of Yang, mixed timidly with Baxter’s coming from the hallway, and Blake smiled.

If someone could cheer him up, it was Yang, for sure.

It took fifteen minutes for them to emerge from the hallway, Yang appearing with a smile on her lips as her left hand rested on top of the still wet, clean head of Baxter, the boy’s face and hands all clean, too. And as they made their way into the living room, the boy seemed to register the other people sitting on the couch, and he stopped, gasping softly as his vibrant green eyes widened, his scales shining in the light.

“You found them?” the boy softly asked as he looked up at Yang.

And the blonde puffed her chest proudly, her smile even larger.

“Yep!” she nodded, popping the ‘p’.

He gasped again, then made his way to Blake, climbing on her lap as she hummed in surprise but didn’t object, only shifting so they could be more comfortable as the boy extended his hand towards Ruby.

“You are Ruby! I recognise you from the pictures! Yang told me your weapon is really, really cool! I’m Baxter!”

The leader raised her eyebrows as she smiled widely, taking his small hand and shaking it.

“It’s really nice to finally meet you, Baxter! Blake and Yang couldn’t stop talking about you!” Ruby excitedly replied.

“Really?” he asked in a whisper, his eyes shining.

“Yes, and they also couldn’t stop showing us the pictures they had of you” Weiss added solemnly.

The boy’s attention shifted instantly to her, and he offered her his hand, slightly bouncing on Blake’s lap.

“You’re Weiss! Blake told me you live in Atlas, and there’s snow often there!”

White eyebrows shot up high on her forehead as she took his hand, shaking it a few times.

“Well, yes, indeed” she nodded. “I have a couple of pictures I can show you, if you lik-”

“Yes!”

Blake huffed, smiling, as Yang sat beside her with a small sigh. The faunus was happy to see him in his usual self again, even though they would have to have a little talk. Maybe Yang would be best fitted for that, though. No, she shook her head. Both of them would be better. She felt the blonde set a hand on her thigh and she looked up, seeing in her lilac eyes the softness she had whenever she talked about Baxter, and she smiled.

Meanwhile, Ruby and Weiss had traded seats, so the smaller woman would be between Ruby and Blake, and she pulled out her scroll to show some pictures of the snowy land. Almost everything was white. Except the sky.

“Atlas is so up north that there are many aurora borealis” Weiss explained as she tapped on the screen, swiping through the pictures to show them. “Almost every night, the sky lights up with green, purple, pink, blue. It’s so, so beautiful. Pictures don’t do them justice.”

But even if she said that, they were all staring at the pictures in amazement, until they had gone through all of them and Weiss returned her scroll in her skirt’s pocket.

“Do you miss it?” Baxter asked, his face scrunched up, thoughtful.

“What? Atlas?” Weiss raised a single eyebrow, smoothing her skirt on her thigh.

The boy nodded as he looked up, and it took a moment for Weiss to answer. She could feel all the eyes on her, as she kept her eyes on her lap, her face neutral. At last, she looked up, a small smile on her lips as a shadow quickly passed in her eyes.

“I miss the scenery.”

“You had these pictures all along and you never, _never_ thought about showing them to us before?” Ruby exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.

Weiss only shrugged, not fazed at all by her outburst.

“You never asked” she simply said.

And Ruby narrowed her eyes at her, making Kali and Baxter chuckle.

 

**** 

 

Later that day, they decided it was better to rest from their travel, and so they moved to the kitchen, Kali and Yang preparing tea for them as they made plans for dinner, while Blake and Weiss were reading, Ruby and Baxter drawing in the boy’s coloring book. Blake had to say, he was good; he had the eye to match certain colors together, while Ruby mostly used red, saying that was because she was drawing red things.

Earlier, when Weiss had showed them the pictures, Baxter was on her right side. Now, the boy was sitting right next to Weiss’s left side, and he couldn’t stop glancing up at her scar, and Weiss acted as if she didn’t notice.

“How did you get your scar?” the boy bluntly asked, tilting his head curiously.

Blake raised her eyebrows high on her forehead as she almost dropped her book, Yang spitted in her cup and Ruby almost tore the page she was drawing on as Weiss calmly lowered her book, looking at Baxter with a kind smile.

“I got injured, years ago” she answered simply.

“How?”

“My father wanted to see if I was worthy of going to Beacon, the school where I met Blake, Ruby and Yang” Weiss explained, closing her book and setting it aside so she could give her attention to him. “I had to fight this really huge, scary knight. My father gave me a choice: if I win, I go to Beacon. If I lose, I stay home, and I can’t do what I want to do. That’s when it happened” she touched the scar that ran over her eye with the tip of her fingers.

The rest of the team glanced at each other, the ghost of a gigantic, all white knight dancing in their minds.

“Wasn’t he worried for you? That maybe, you could be hurt?” Baxter asked, his face scrunching up.

“I don’t think so, no” she answered softly, crossing her fingers together.

The boy thought about it for a moment before sitting back, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked up at Weiss.

“Your father is not very nice” he dropped, his face sharp in mild anger.

Weiss huffed as she looked at him, a small smile finding its way on her lips, and after a few seconds, she sighed, reaching for her book as she sat back in her chair.

“No, indeed” she murmured under her breath.

“I should have let Yang throw him out the window” Ruby mumbled, her face scrunched up in anger. “Would have been a good lesson.”

“You know it would have been my pleasure, Rubes” Yang said as she was pouring some tea in a cup. “Nobody messes with our princess, not even her jer- I mean, her not-very-nice father.”

The blonde took the cup and brought it to Blake, kissing the spot right between black, tufted ears as she set it in front of the faunus, then leaned over to kiss the top of Weiss’s head, making the smaller woman smile slightly.

“Now you have people who will be worried that you might get hurt!” Baxter smiled.

Weiss huffed quietly, glancing at her teammates as Blake reached out to take her hand, Yang winked and Ruby grinned widely, and she smiled a little more.

“Trust me; I know” she said to the boy, her smile reaching her eyes.

“You know, we’re kinda the same” Baxter continued, returning his attention to his drawing.

“Really?” Weiss asked, raising her eyebrows. “How so?”

“I’ve got Blake and Yang watching over me, too!”

“Hey, there’s me, too!” Ruby added, pouting slightly.

Kali stayed back, sipping at her cup silently, and Blake noticed how her mother was smiling. It had been a long time since the house had been lively like that.

 

**** 

 

“Oh my God” Ruby murmured, her eyes staring at something on the table.

“What is it, Ruby?” Weiss asked worriedly, setting her book down as she kept her eyes on her partner.

“Look!” the leader exclaimed as she reached out to a bowl filled with fruit that Kali had just brought on the table, pulling one piece out to show it to Weiss with wonder in her eyes. “It’s a star!”

“It’s a carambola, Ruby.”

“Told you she would like it” Yang whispered to Blake as she chuckled quietly.

“I have prepared some coffee, if you want” Ghira announced as he stepped in the living room, sitting in the large armchair right beside the window.

Blake remembered sitting in it when she was younger, wondering if one day, she would fill it like her father did. Well, it was better than then, but Blake still had plenty of space when she did sit in it.

“Coffee?” Blake repeated.

“I know it’s a rare commodity” he smiled as he shifted slightly in his chair. “But I remember you saying that Ruby and Weiss preferred coffee over tea, so I… pulled some strings.”

He shrugged as Blake reached out, squeezing his hand for a second.

“You’re the best, Dad” she murmured with a small smile.

He huffed, running his thumb on her hand, but he smiled too.

“What kind of host would I be if I don’t get my guests to feel like they’re home?”

“That’s so nice, thank you!” Ruby smiled, genuinely thankful. “But it’s already late, and if I take a cup now, I’ll be running around the house until four a.m., so I’ll take one in the morning.”

His shoulders drooped slightly as he furrowed his brows, his eyes cast on the floor.

“Oh, right. I didn’t consider how late it was” he mumbled under his breath.

“I’ll take one” Weiss’s voice interrupted his mumble as she stood somewhat sharply. “Thank you. It must have caused you troubles.”

Ghira snorted, waving her words aside as he locked his eyes with blue ones.

“It doesn’t matter as long as you enjoy it” he assured as he bowed his head slightly.

Blake noticed how her jaw was clenched, how her hands trembled for a second before she closed them into fists, and how her shoulders were stiff when she bowed her head to the man before excusing herself to the kitchen, to fetch said coffee. And so, after one squeeze to Yang’s hand, Blake silently followed her teammate, finding her alone in the kitchen, her elbows planted on the counter right beside the coffee machine, her face buried in her hands.

“It’s just coffee, Weiss, don’t cry for such a small thing” she muttered under her breath, taking a deep breath.

As the smaller woman exhaled slowly, Blake was close enough to set a light hand on her shoulder, and Weiss jumped with a quiet yelp, and for a second panic settled in her eyes, soon to be replaced with annoyance when she noticed who it was.

“Don’t sneak up on me like that” Weiss hissed as she slapped the faunus’s arm. “You know I hate it.”

“Are you alright?” Blake asked quietly, her brows furrowing at Weiss’s antics.

The smaller woman sighed deeply again, her eyes turning to the coffee machine beside her.

“I am, it’s just…” she paused for a second, clearing her throat. “It’s just… Your parents are _so_ nice.”

Blake took a moment to register what Weiss had said, then narrowed her eyes slightly.

“And it’s a problem because..?”

“It’s not” the smaller woman was quick to assure. “Well, it’s not _them_. It’s me.”

“What do you mean?” the faunus asked, starting to get confuse.

“I don’t know how to deal with that” she answered quietly. “I don’t know how to deal with people who get out of their way for others. I mean, you or Yang or Ruby is alright, because I would do the same for you, but for people I don’t actually know… and, you know, I’m me and they are… them.”

“Weiss-”

“Even the machine looks brand new” the smaller woman interrupted pointedly, waving at it with a small laugh.

“Would it be worst if I say it is? We never owned a coffee machine.”

There was a silence, Weiss’s blue eyes focused on the machine and there it was. The impassible mask.

“Weiss, listen” Blake gently brushed her fingers against the smaller woman’s arm to gain her attention. “I told you, they don’t care about your name. The only thing they care about is that you are my teammate and my friend. Although I’m pretty sure my mother will be a little extra around you, because I told them how your father was, when he wanted to take you back.”

“You told them that?” Weiss’s shoulders drooped a little.

“Of course. I told them everything” Blake assured quietly.

And she sighed again, silent for a few seconds.

“Why would your mother act different around me?”

And Blake smiled, affection in her eyes.

“Because she would want you to feel welcome. To feel at home.”

 

**** 

 

After making sure Ruby and Weiss were really settled and in bed, Blake finally went to hers. After saying goodnight to her parents, she went to her room, knowing that Baxter and Yang were already there. The boy had insisted to sleep with them, and Blake didn’t complain.

And so, after closing the door and leaning her back to it, she saw Yang lying on her side with Baxter tucked in her arms, her face hidden in dark-red hair, both fast asleep even though they went to bed a few minutes ahead of her. Blake smiled softly. After all that happened, after all their fears and pain, there they were. They were back. Safe and sound.

Quickly and silently, Blake changed into her pajamas before sneaking in bed, lying on her back as she sighed deeply, feeling Baxter shift to be slightly closer to her. She kept her eyes on the ceiling for a while, breathing slowly, taking in the scents and the feel of the mattress under her.

Taking a moment to just… Feel. Everything.

Yang had opened the window, and she could hear the waved quietly washing on the beach, hear the breeze in the leaves, she could even hear the murmur of her parents talking quietly in their bedroom. Then, Yang started snoring softly, and her smile came back.

She could feel her eyes closing already, heavy with sleep. After the travel to Menagerie and the sleepless night before, Blake was exhausted, and it was without really noticing it that she fell asleep.

Only to be woken up after what felt like a second.

Something roused her from a deep sleep, and just before she was about to roll out of bed, her training kicking in, she heard soft, quiet sobs. Baxter’s sobs. She relaxed instantly, letting out a small breath, and as she was about to open her eyes, she heard Yang’s voice.

“It’s okay to cry, little man” the blonde said in a hushed tone. “Let it all out.”

For a quick second the sobbing stopped, before resuming after a sniff, and Blake could feel someone shifting, then hear a soft sound; probably Yang rubbing the boy’s back as he cried.

“I dreamed of Mom” Baxter whispered between sobs. “And then I woke up and I remembered that… that she’s gone.”

“Oh, sweetie…” Yang only whispered.

The blonde sighed deeply, and judging by the sound, Yang had shifted closer to wrap him in her arms, for the sobbing was now muffled.

“I… I lost my mother too, when I was about your age” she whispered. “Maybe a little younger than you.”

The sobbing quieted down slowly, and only sniffles and hiccups were heard from the boy.

“You’re an orphan too?”

“Well, no, I still have my dad, back in Patch. But… I understand your pain, little man. Just don’t forget that there are people for you, okay?”

“Like you?” the boy sniffled.

“Not just me” Yang assured. “There’s Blake, and Kali, and Ghira, and… The point is, you’re not alone. Okay? It’s important that you know that. And when it’s too much, it’s okay to cry.”

Blake cracked an eye open just in time to see Baxter nod in the crook of Yang’s shoulder, the blonde kissing his forehead gently before laying her cheek against his head, sighing again. She must have noticed the glowing eye staring at her, because Yang looked up at her without saying anything, blinking, and reached a hand to her, her left hand traveling across the pillows to gently brush her fingers between Blake’s ears.

They stayed like this for a long moment, Yang’s thumb running the length of the tufted ear as Blake shifted closer, Baxter’s sniffing and hiccups calming down slowly. As Blake was about to fall asleep again, lulled by the blonde’s soothing touch, she barely heard the small voice of Baxter speaking again.

“When does it stop hurting?”

Yang huffed quietly and sighed again, shifting a little.

“I’ll tell you when it does” she said quietly. “But you learn to deal with it. One day, you’ll be… okay, with this. Like me. But it still hurts, sometimes.”

And Blake shifted closer again, squeezing Baxter between them as she buried her nose in the boy’s hair, wrapping an arm as best she could around them both before starting purring quietly, earning a soft gasp from Baxter.

Without another word, the boy turned around and cuddled Blake close, nestling his head right under her chin and leaning his ear against her chest with a deep sigh, and Yang leaned in, taking her lips with all the tenderness in the world. The blonde hummed in the kiss before pulling away, setting her head right beside Blake’s.

“It still feels weird to kiss you when you’re purring” she murmured, bumping her nose with Blake’s.

“You don’t like it?” the faunus tiredly asked, her voice heavy with sleep.

Yang chuckled quietly, bumping her nose again.

“I didn’t say that. I said ‘weird’ as in ‘not used to, but will definitely be used to if it happened more often’.”

Blake huffed, a small smile pulling her lips as she leaned her forehead against Yang’s.

“Sleep, now. You’ll kiss me tomorrow.”

 

**** 

 

“This one is for Ruby” Blake said, dropping a handful of chocolate chips in the cooking pancake.

Yang hummed right in her ear, for she was pressed up against her back, her arms loosely looping around her and she was nuzzling her hair, her neck, brushing the tip of her nose against her human ear. The faunus looked over her shoulder, making sure Ruby, Baxter and her mother weren’t listening before returning her attention to the pan in front of her.

“Aren’t you in a cuddling mood, this morning” Blake said with a small smile, raising an eyebrow. “I wonder why.”

The blonde huffed, kissing the faunus’s neck, the spot right under her jaw.

“Well, after you woke me up that way, I feel like cuddling you all day long. In bed. With you mother wearing earplugs.”

Blake snorted, her smile growing larger.

“I think I’ll ask Baxter to sleep in his own bed, tonight” Yang murmured, kissing her neck again.

This was beginning to be distracting. But she still hummed when she felt yet another kiss pressed against her neck, feeling the blonde’s hand slowly creeping under her shirt.

“If it were only me, I would stay in bed all day long” the faunus murmured. “When was the last time we had a room to ourselves? I mean, we deserve it.”

And the blonde laughed again, her face buried in her neck, the feel of her breath on her skin, her lips and her laugh… Dust, she had to think of something else.

“Aren’t I the best date, though? I’m even making breakfast.”

“The very best” the blonde nodded.

And Blake felt just the slightest hint of teeth, Yang gently nibbling at the base of her neck, and the hold she had on the spatula transformed into a death grip.

“Stop that” the faunus hissed under her breath, feeling her heart beating slightly faster.

“Hum? Stop what?” the blonde asked, looking up with a large, toothy grin.

Blake narrowed her eyes, about to shoo her away with the utensil when Weiss walked in the kitchen, her hair down and her arms crossed tightly against her, with a scowl on her face that could transform anyone who crossed her stare in stone.

“I’m cold” she announced, looking expectantly towards Blake and Yang.

“Isn’t it convenient” the blonde murmured in Blake’s ear before pulling away. “Come on, princess, you’ll get your morning warm up.”

And Yang stepped around the island, making her way to Weiss, who still stood there, glaring at everything until the blonde pulled her in her arms, the smaller woman instantly snuggling closer as Yang's arms closed on her.

“I sometimes wonder why I call you Ice Queen, because God, you’re so warm” the blonde quietly mused, resting her chin on top of Weiss’s head.

The smaller woman huffed, but said nothing, cuddling slightly closer as she closed her eyes while Yang rubbed her back gently.

“Sometimes I’m glad you have the breasts you have” Weiss mumbled, furrowing her brows. “It’s a nice pillow.”

“Oh, I know” Blake nodded, flipping the pancake.

“I know, Weiss, it’s like, the third time you tell me” the blonde smiled, patting her white head gently.

“Hey this is so unfair! I want a morning warm up too!” Ruby stood up, realising what was happening after she looked up from her drawing.

“Then go with Blake, I already got Weiss.”

“Yes” the leader whispered, letting the last letter trail as she quickly made her way to Blake.

The faunus set the now cooked pancake in a plate and started another before reaching blindly behind her, Ruby taking her hand and Blake pulling her in her arms as she set the pan back on the fire, feeling the smaller woman snuggle close with a content sigh.

“Team bonding, yeah!” Ruby thrusted a fist in the air above her head as she leaned her cheek on Blake’s shoulder.

The faunus snorted, gently rubbing the leader’s back.

“I don’t think it’s really team bonding when we do this every morning.”

“Shush it, you.”

And Blake snorted again, feeling Ruby smiling against her shoulder. This did happen most of the mornings they had together, for Weiss being always cold when she got out of bed. They all liked it. It was in those moments that they could almost feel normal again.

“You are all so cute” Kali almost squealed.

“Can I have a hug, too?” Baxter asked, already standing from his chair.

“Of course! Come here, little man!” Yang extended her left arm towards him, and the boy happily took her hand.

Weiss quietly whined, pouting as the blonde brought him closer, and as she was about to bent down to take him in her arms, she stopped, furrowing her brows as she stared at the boy, making Weiss hum questioningly.

“Wait a second” Yang mumbled, dropping her left hand on top of the boy’s head, and straightening her back.

Then, a large smile pulled her lips as she ruffled the boy’s hair.

“Yeah, you _are_ taller!” the blonde beamed.

“Of course he is, Yang, it’s been almost two years” Blake rolled her eyes, leaving Ruby after one last squeeze to step closer to the boy. “Thinking about this, let me look at you. I didn’t really have the time to really look at you, yesterday.”

And she set a knee down in front of him, to be at eye level. Baxter smiled, revealing the hole of a fallen tooth, making him look even more playful than he already was. Blake smiled too, then proceeded to scan his face, searching for things that was different.

“You have more scales” she said after a while, gently brushing a finger against his cheek. “Here, on your cheekbones, and the ones on your jaw now reach your chin. And” Blake took his hand, running her thumb over his knuckles, feeling the thick pads on his skin, “soon, you’ll have some on your knuckles.”

She sighed in sync with Yang, the blonde letting her hand fall on Blake’s shoulder.

“You’re growing up too fast Baxter” the blonde said almost solemnly. “Soon, I won’t be able to call you ‘little’ man, anymore.”

It made the boy chuckle, his smile towards Yang this time.

“Your eyes are still the same, though” Blake affirmed, poking his nose with her finger.

“Beautiful as always” Yang nodded. “Your hair starts to get long, too.”

“I like them that way” the boy assured.

“Really? Well, that’s fine” the blonde smiled.

“Mom?” Blake looked up at her mother, Kali straightening her head from her hand, her soft smile disappearing for a second. “Can we use the wall?”

Blake asked her question as she gently set a hand on the boy’s head, but her mother understood instantly.

“Of course! I will let you do the honors” Kali bowed her head slightly, a smile on her lips.

Blake smiled, already standing up as she looked down at Baxter, who was eyeing her curiously.

“Do you want to leave your height mark on our wall?” she asked him, her tone hushed, as if she was telling him a secret.

And he gasped, his eyes growing wide as his smile reached his ears and Blake laughed softly. She exited the kitchen and walked in the living room, noticing that everyone followed her, and stood beside the large bookshelf, pointing at the bit of wall there, and they all could see the marks, with Blake’s name and her age beside it.

“How old are you, Bax?”

“I’m nine!”

“Nine” Blake repeated, narrowing her eyes, searching the marks. “Ah, right here! I was this tall when I was nine. The ears don’t count.”

“Oh my God, Blake” Yang murmured.

“You were so tiny!” Ruby finished.

“You were smaller than Baxter is” Weiss affirmed.

“I’m going to be taller than you?” the boy asked excitedly, looking up at Blake.

“Well, I did got tall late, but… maybe you will, Bax.”

And the boy swiftly leaned his back against the wall, waiting not so patiently as Blake went to fetch a pen to mark his height, and as she was writing his name and age, she stopped for a second, sniffing.

“Yang, I’m so sorry.”

“What? Why?”

“Your pancake” the faunus explained, looking over her shoulder. “It’s burning.”

And the blonde gasped loudly before running back to the kitchen, Ruby on her heels, and not long after, they could hear both of them whine.

 

**** 

 

“What are you doing, Ruby?”

Kali asked as she looked at the young woman with an eyebrow raised, seeing Ruby pacing around the deck chair where Weiss was sitting, trying to gather nearby palm tree leaves above her partner.

“Weiss fell asleep” the leader whispered. “I don’t want to wake her up to tell her to move, because I know she’s going to burn if she stays in the sun. So, I’m trying…”

She grunted as she pulled on a small tree, trying to tie the branches together but it slipped from her grip, returning to its original place, and Ruby sighed.

“I’m trying to make her a roof, but it’s not working” the young woman sighed, setting her hands on her hips.

“Why don’t we just move her? I mean, the chair?” Yang suggested, already standing up from her kneeled position, rubbing her hands together to clean them as best she could.

Kali had started a garden in the backyard soon after Blake, Sun and Yang’s departure. Apparently, Ghira had been tired of seeing his wife pacing around the house, and suggested a garden, to keep her occupied when she wasn’t working, and now, they were all working in it. Except Weiss. Bending down wasn’t a good position for her wound, and they all insisted that she just relaxed.

“Okay, we can set her down beside the hammock; it’s protected by the leaves” Ruby mumbled, nodding once at her sister.

And they took either side of the chair, lifting it as smoothly as they could to not disturb the sleeping woman, and carried her silently under the cover of the palm trees. When Ruby was satisfied, and after making sure they didn’t wake Weiss, they went back to the garden as Blake sat on her haunches.

“I was wondering about that, but is she taking her meds?” she asked, whipping her forehead and leaving a dark trail of earth there.

“Well, she wasn’t taking them, because she wanted to ‘be all there’ when we got here” Ruby explained as she took the trowel. “But I know her, she’s been in pain since then. She’s like a cat; she suffers in silence and act as if everything was fine. So today, I insisted she took it” she let out, glancing above her shoulder to Weiss.

“You mean, you force-fed her” Yang huffed.

“I wouldn’t call it that, but yes.”

“I’m guessing she’s not in pain, now” Kali quietly mused. “Must have been so relieved to not feel it that she fell asleep.”

“And deep sleep, no less” Yang nodded, a small sigh escaping her lips. “She’s usually a terribly light sleeper.”

The older faunus hummed, cleaning her hands on the rug she always carried in her pocket as she kept her gaze on Weiss.

“Is she alright? Sometimes, she looks at ease and a second after, she’s tense and nervous.”

“Well, she’s still trying to get her bearings” Blake assured her. “That, and she’s not used to do nothing. Weiss is happy only when she’s productive.”

The blonde snorted, already back to work the garden, pulling on the tall grass that didn’t belong there.

“So true.”

“But it’s not just that, right?” Ruby said in a hushed tone, as if she didn’t want Weiss to hear. “I get that feeling too. I mean, she nearly…”

They all stop to look at her, her silver eyes a shade darker as a shadow quickly passed in her eyes, but she shook her head, her eyes settling on their normal shade.

“She hugged me, yesterday.”

Blake raised an eyebrow and Yang stopped as she sat back on her heels, a handful of weed in her hands.

“Ruby, we hug, like, everyday” her sister huffed.

“Have you ever seen Weiss, hugging me out of the blue, without me asking first?”

The blonde opened her mouth to answer, but she closed it silently as she held her sister’s stare.

“And it was a real hug, not a one-armed-two-seconds-long thing she always does.”

“Okay, you made your point” Blake sighed. “What of it? She showed you she cares, Rubes. I don’t know why you make it such a big deal.”

“I’m not complaining!” Ruby quickly assured. “It’s just… I’d like to know what’s going on in her head. That’s all I’m saying.”

The leader pouted slightly, pulling on the grass in the garden as Blake and Yang exchanged a look, the blonde’s face serious as she gently bumped her shoulder against her sister’s.

“Pretty sure she wants to know what’s going on in yours, Sis” she gently said, angling her head to try and look at her sister’s face. “We all do.”

Blake knew Yang was referring to the nightmares Ruby still had, and she noticed her mother quietly stepping away on the garden, giving them privacy even though she was just a couple of feet away. As she returned her attention on her leader, she noticed how sharp Ruby’s face was, the pout completely gone now. But before they could say anything else, Blake and Kali’s ears jerked back, towards the front of the house, as they saw Baxter running on the road to them while Ghira shook his head, making his way much more slowly.

“Blake!” the boy called, a beaming smile on his lips. “Look! Ghira bought me something!”

Blake had just the time to turn on her feet before Baxter literally crashed against her, and Kali straightened her daughter discreetly for her not to fall on the ground as she grunted, the air getting knocked out of her lungs.

“Dust, Bax, slow down” Blake managed to say after a few seconds.

“Sorry” he smiled, not looking sorry at all. “But look! A book!”

He pulled away from his crushing hug and started to look around, as if the book was lying on the ground, before Ghira, stepping closer, sighed with a small laugh.

“It’s still in the bag, Baxter.”

Then, looking up at his daughter:

“He’s been so excited to show it to you that he didn’t stop babbling and forgot it before taking off.”

The tall man opened the bag wide enough for Baxter to pull the book from it with a wide smile, then presented it to Blake, almost vibrating with excitement. Kali, Ruby and Yang leaned over to look at the cover with Blake.

It was an atlas of the world, with smaller maps of each kingdoms, with the names of every capital and city and most of the towns written, and every point of interest in between, like airships boarding and docks.

“Now you can tell me where you went with the maps!” Baxter beamed as he looked up at Blake, Yang and Ruby, glancing from each other quickly. “And there’s even a big part for Atlas! Weiss can show me where she lives!”

And he seemed to realized that Weiss wasn’t there with them, and he frowned for a second, searching for the missing teammate until his eyes fell on the deck chair, beside the hammock. He smiled again, and went to it with his book so quickly that nobody had time to stop him, but his cheerful bouncing stopped a few feet from the chair, transformed into stepping carefully closer, and he set the book on the space beside Weiss, looking back with a smile.

“She’s sleeping!” he whispered, his face a mix of surprise and wonder.

“Let her sleep, honey” Kali quietly said back. “Weiss needs her rest.”

He nodded, looking back at her as he frowned, tapping his fingers on the book a few times.

“Do you think it’s okay if I sit with her to read my book?” he asked, looking over his shoulder. “I’ll be quiet.”

“I… don’t know” Yang furrowed her brows.

“Nah, it’s okay” Ruby waved her hand in front of her with a small smile. “There’s enough space.”

He didn’t wait to be told twice. With a large smile, he picked up his book, then carefully climbed on the chair, right beside the sleeping woman, and pulled up his knees so he could lay the book on it. But the movement made Weiss shift, grunting in her sleep, and they all held their breaths as Weiss blinked open her eyes tiredly, lazily glancing around until her eyes focused on the boy beside her. And a smile pulled her lips.

“Hello, Baxter.”

“Hello, Weiss! I got a book! Can I read beside you?”

“That’s nice” the woman whispered, her eyes already closing again. “I don’t mind. But I have one question for you; I always wanted a little brother like you. Do you want to be my little brother?”

“Yes!” the boy exclaimed, a large smile pulling his lips.

Weiss’s smile inched larger then, and she leaned her head on his shoulder lightly, just enough to touch him.

“That’s good. That’s good” she murmured, her eyes closing. “Thank you, Baxter.”

And her breathing went deep again. After a moment, the boy looked back to them with a small smile.

“She’s sleeping again” he whispered.

And as he opened his book, paging through it silently, Blake, Kali and Yang glanced at Ruby, who stared thoughtfully at Weiss, her lips slightly pinched.

“I may have given her a stronger dose than she normally take” Ruby let out after a moment.

 

**** 

 

“Wait a sec, Bax, get down!”

“Yang, let him live” Blake playfully grunted, turning the page of her book as she extended blindly a hand to take Yang’s.

“Are you even seeing what he’s doing?” the blonde retorted.

With a sigh, Blake looked up from her book, her small smile disappearing almost instantly.

“Catch me if you can!” Ruby was saying, climbed up high in a tall palm tree near the house.

And Baxter quickly climbing up the trunk, his eyes focused on her. When Blake saw him, she stood up, too.

“Baxter, get down!”

“See? And I’m the overprotective one” the blonde mumbled under her breath.

“What’s the problem, guys? I got him, he can’t-” Ruby started with a laugh.

As she was speaking, Baxter’s foot slipped for an inch or two, but it was enough. The boy looked down to try and find a better grip, but he froze, and Blake heard his breath catch in his throat.

“Blake?” Baxter called, his voice rising in pitch.

The faunus sighed, dropping back in the deck chair, opening her book again.

“I’m not going.”

“Baxter is afraid of heights, Ruby” Yang reminded her sister, her hands on her hips.

“Oh. Right” the leader looked down at the boy, noticing how he was now hugging the trunk for dear life. “I forgot.”

“You were the one making him climb, you get him down” the blonde ordered, but she still stepped to the base of the tree, her eyes glued to the boy.

Blake was, too. Her open book on her lap, pretending to read as she kept her eyes up. Blake even heard Weiss laughing quietly beside her, the smaller woman reading too, and Weiss patted Blake’s knee a few times as the faunus glanced at her. The smaller woman sent her a small, reassuring smile, and Blake smiled, too.

Blake heard Ruby sigh, and by the time she looked back, the faunus could see rose petals swirl in the air as Ruby was down the tree with a shocked Baxter cradled in her arms, blinking in confusion. But before Ruby or Yang could say anything, he wiggled from Ruby’s arms, took Yang’s hand and dragged her with him to Blake. The faunus glanced at him above her book, then raised it, making enough room for him to climb on her lap and he settled there, his head in the crook of Blake’s shoulder, and the faunus set her book down on top of him, resuming her reading.

“Sorry, buddy” Ruby apologised, rubbing the back of her neck. Like Yang, when the blonde was uncomfortable. “I totally forgot.”

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault” Baxter muttered, shifting slightly. “Sometimes, I forget it, too.”

 

**** 

 

Ghira furrowed his brows deeply as he stared down at the chess board in front of him, then raised his eyes to Weiss, sitting in front of him, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“What are you doing?” he asked accusingly.

The smaller woman blinked, swallowed and cleared her throat before her blue eyes went down on the board.

“Well, I played my pieces and I lost-”

“No. You didn’t ‘lose’. You did it on purpose.”

Weiss’s blue eyes looked up and locked with his for a second, and when her gaze returned to the board his features softened as he straightened his back, sighing a little.

“Look, Weiss. You don’t have to do this with me. I won’t get mad if you give me a little challenge.”

“You are in your home” Weiss slightly bowed her head, keeping her eyes on the board. “What kind of guest would I be if I don’t-”

“Nonsense” Ghira interrupted her, leaning his elbows on his knees. “Listen to me, Weiss. Here, consider yourself home. Am I clear?”

He could see her jaw clenching, her hands motionless on her lap in a perfect stance. Like a doll. After a few seconds, Weiss glanced on the side, towards the kitchen; the voices of Blake, Ruby, Yang, Baxter and Kali could be heard, along with the sweet smell of cookies baking. When she looked back, flashing her blue eyes to him, she nodded, and he hummed in satisfaction, sitting back in his chair.

“Good” he let out with a small smile. “Now, show me what you can really do. And please, do give me a challenge. Blake is good only when Yang isn’t around.”

And he successfully made Weiss smiled as she looked up to him, bowing her head with a glint in her eyes.

 

////////

 

“Checkmate.”

Weiss sat back on the couch, crossing her leg and taking her cup of coffee with a small sigh as Ghira and Blake, sat quietly beside Weiss, wore the same stunned face as they both stared at the board. Ghira silently raised his head, his chin leaving the spot on his palm as he raised his eyebrows high on his forehead, pressing both his hands on his thighs and bending down slightly over the board, scanning it. After a few seconds, he looked up to his opponent.

“You beat me” he let out in a breath, his voice even.

He stared at her so intensely that after a second Weiss shifted, glancing to Blake as her eyes started to be filled with uncertainty, until Ghira clapped his thighs, a large smile pulling his lips.

“You beat me!” he exclaimed before laughing heartily.

Weiss relaxed instantly, bringing her cup to her lips with a small smile as Blake kept nodding, her eyes scanning the board.

“Kali! Kali you have to see this!” Ghira was still laughing. “Weiss beat me up so good I almost feel like a beginner!”

Kali, Ruby, Yang and Baxter then entered the living room, the blonde carrying the huge plate of cookies with her as Baxter and Ruby already had plenty in their hands. As everyone was settling down, Ghira’s laughter calmed down, finishing in a long sigh as he stared at Weiss, a smile still on his lips.

“Weiss Schnee” he said, nodding, noticing how the smaller woman raised her head slightly. “You are a formidable opponent.”

And he extended his hand in front of him, waiting until Weiss took it and he shook it a few times before pulling away.

“Now, you deserve cookies” he nodded, his eyes falling on the plate. “We all do. Right, little one?”

And he let his large hand fall on Baxter’s head, ruffling his hair as the boy was happily munching at a mouthful of cookies, smiling and making his pretty face he always did when he knew someone was looking at him, making the tall man chuckle.

 

**** 

 

“Honey, could you… put the knife away?”

Kali’s voice right beside her made her jump, and she nearly dropped the butterfly knife she was toying with, but she quickly and skillfully clapped it back in her palm, before putting it back in the small pouch she had on her belt.

“I’m sorry” Blake gave her mother a small smile as she leaned her shoulder in the doorframe again. “I know you don’t like weapons inside the house.”

Kali scrunched up her nose, waving a hand in front of her to tell her it was okay, then proceeded to look in the direction Blake had been looking, seeing Yang outside, through the window, playing with Baxter and Ruby, and she smiled.

“What were you thinking about?” she asked as she kept her eyes outside.

Blake shrugged one shoulder as she crossed her arms.

“Nothing.”

Her mother huffed, glancing back with a doubtful look.

“I know you play with that knife when you’re nervous or stressed, and you keep staring at your girlfriend. Something tells me it’s not ‘nothing’.”

Blake glanced at her mother quickly, furrowing her brows as her right hand unfolded and went to the pouch, before slowly returning up, crossing her arms again with a quiet sigh. But Kali didn’t insist. She could see Blake biting the inside of her lip repeatedly, and knew it was just a question of time before it spilled.

“How old were you when you and Dad were married?” Blake suddenly asked after a moment.

Kali raised her eyebrows high on her forehead as she looked back at her daughter, but Blake was staring stubbornly outside, her face impassible.

“I was about your age, actually” she finally answered. “And soon after, already pregnant.”

Blake hummed, nodding slightly as her fingers started drumming on her arm. Her mother frowned after a few seconds by the lack of reaction, turning so she could give her all her attention.

“Why do you ask?”

And Blake shrugged one shoulder again, making a small grimace as she shook her head once.

“Just asking.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m just thinking about things, Mom” Blake rolled her eyes with a sigh, keeping her attention outside.

“Then stop thinking that loudly, I’m having a migraine over here.”

Blake finally turned her attention to her mother, but only to give her a stern look, making Kali chuckle. The younger faunus glanced down, tapping her fingers against her arms a few times again before she slightly turned her body towards her mother, giving her full attention.

“I was thinking that, um… after what happened with Weiss, after thinking about our journey, the time I spent running after Beacon, the time at Beacon, and” she sighed, keeping her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she quickly glanced to the window. “You know, just one wrong move. One time being somewhere at the wrong time. A little accident. And… she could be gone.”

Blake had breathed the last part, her eyebrows furrowing as she exhaled slowly through her nose.

“Or me.”

She cleared her throat, shifting against the doorframe.

“So I was thinking that life could be short, with the kind of life we want to live. And, ah…”

Blake took a sharp breath, turning her head to the window when she heard Yang laughing, a small smile ghosting on her lips.

“I thought… I thought that, either we live a short or long life together, we could… I want the world to know that I love her, so…”

“You should talk with your father, then.”

“About what?” Blake asked carefully, giving her mother a sidelong glance.

“About rings.”

Instantly, Blake seemed to relax, and she went to take her mother’s hand, squeezing it lightly.

“You’re okay with this?”

“Oh, honey” Kali snorted, rolling her eyes. “If I’m okay? You’ve been almost two years together and you two are so in love. Do I really have to remind you that my marriage was arranged? I was just lucky that Ghira was my type.”

It was Blake’s turn to snort when her mother winked, rolling her eyes with a smile.

“You’re still in love, though” her daughter reminded.

And Kali nodded, humming.

“And we married as strangers. I think I fell in love with Ghira when he decided he couldn’t stand living with a stranger, and took me out.”

“Your first date” Blake remembered. “The grottos.”

“Exactly” her mother chuckled softly. “After twenty years, still in love. So, I am really okay with you marrying the woman you love.”

The younger faunus pulled Kali in her arms, leaning her cheek against her temple with a deep sigh, feeling her mother snake her arms around her to gently rub her back. After a moment, Blake pulled away, leaving a soft kiss on top of her mother’s head, and when Kali could see her eyes again, Blake had a decided look in them.

“Thanks, Mom. I have to talk to Dad.”

 

**** 

 

Blake couldn’t find the words to say how much she liked moments like these. When she just woke up, and the first thing she would see would be a cascade of blonde hair sprawled on the pillows, and the naked, powerful back of Yang, the blankets only covering down her hips.

And it was in these moments that Blake would watch her sleep, propping her head in her hand, breathing in sync with Yang as she snuggled closer, feeling the blonde’s warmth, the scent that was Yang’s and hers only, hearing the snores that lulled her to sleep. Then, she would ghost her fingers across the blonde’s skin, raising a trail of goosebumps in her wake, making Yang sigh and shift in her sleep.

She could do this for hours. It was never enough.

But today was different. So, she pressed against the blonde’s back, loving the way Yang’s skin was always so smooth and soft even if her body was hard with muscles, and she nuzzled in blonde hair, leaving soft kisses right behind Yang’s ear until the blonde hummed, shifting and moving to be flushed with Blake’s body.

“Good morning, Sunshine” the faunus murmured right in her ear, loving the way Yang smiled and laughed, still half-asleep.

“I love when you call me that” the blonde murmured back, her voice rough and cracking. “Like I’m your own, personal sunshine.”

“That’s because you are.”

Yang chuckled, reaching behind her to take Blake’s hand and brought it to her, kissing the faunus’s palm as she entwined their fingers together, settling back with a sigh as she was about to fall asleep again. But Blake gently insisted, trailing kisses down Yang’s neck and to her shoulder, her thumb rubbing the length of the blonde’s index until Yang hummed again.

“Why are you keeping me up?” she asked, her voice barely audible. “What time is it?”

“It’s barely seven. And I’m keeping you up because I can.”

This time, Yang grunted loudly, her face scrunching up as she buried her face deeper in the pillow, making Blake laugh against her skin.

“I’m kidding” the faunus assured. “I’ll let you be in a minute; I’ll be out with Dad all day.”

The blonde hummed questioningly, raising a single eyebrows as she turned her head towards her, keeping her eyes closed.

“What for? You didn’t tell me.”

“I forgot, in fact. But he just came knocking, so… He wants to show me around town. Meet a few people.”

Blake was kissing Yang’s shoulder blade with each sentences, her fingers between Yang’s caressing the tone skin of the blonde’s stomach.

“Huh” Yang answered, shifting slightly, her hand leaving Blake’s so the faunus’s hand could wander. “Have a nice day, then. I’ll hold the fort.”

The faunus huffed as she smiled, looking up to see that she was smiling too. And in that moment, Yang shifted again, pressing her lower back against Blake a little more, and the faunus raised an eyebrow.

“You act so innocent, and yet…”

The blonde hummed questioningly, but her large smile betrayed her, making Blake snort again as she propped herself on an elbow, looking down at Yang for a few seconds.

“I might make my father wait for a bit” the faunus murmured as she leaned down, taking the blonde’s lips as her hand wandered down the blonde’s stomach, feeling her abs tightened as Yang hummed in the kiss.

 

**** 

 

“What do you mean, you don’t have a swimsuit. We’re on vacation on a tropical island, Weiss.”

Ruby stood in Weiss’s doorway with her arms crossed, a doubtful look on her face as Weiss rolled her eyes, setting her hands on her hips. The smaller woman was wearing a light sundress, as white as her hair, that went down just past her knees with a large brimmed hat sitting on her head.

“Look, I did my part. We’re on vacation, and I dressed for it.”

“You don’t want to swim? Is it because you’re afraid something might touch your foot? I hate that too, Weiss, it’s not-”

“Ruby” Weiss interrupted her. “It’s not because I’m afraid something might touch my foot. I just don’t want to.”

The leader snorted, leaning her shoulder in the doorway as she held her towel around her, crossing her arms.

“Nobody say no to swimming. I mean, you’re just floating around in the water-”

“Ruby.”

“It’s fun, Weiss! Why don’t you-”

“Okay, fine! I don’t know how to swim! There, I said it!”

It was at that moment that Yang’s head slowly appeared behind a shocked Ruby, a small, uncomfortable smile on her face.

“Hey, guys” Yang quietly let out, clearing her throat as her eyes scanned Weiss. “You look nice, Weiss!” she added, more like her normal self with a thumb up.

Then, she turned her attention to her sister, who was now staring at Weiss with a doubtful look.

“Ruby, it’s fine, let it go. Weiss can always sunbath on the beach, it’s not a problem.”

“How can you not know how to swim?” Ruby asked, ignoring her sister. “I mean, it’s a basic survival thing, no?”

“Ruby. I lived on a glacier. Where did you want me to learn how to swim?”

The leader raised her eyebrows in sync with Yang, and they could hear Blake chuckling in the next room. As Yang opened her mouth, Ruby nodded, humming shortly.

“That’s a fair point.”

Then Blake appeared in the doorway, holding on Baxter’s hand with towels folded under her arm, smiling above Ruby’s shoulder.

“You look lovely” she said to the smaller woman, who huffed in response. “Let’s go, then.”

Baxter bounced excitedly beside Blake, and took Yang’s hand to drag her along, but Ruby stubbornly stayed in the doorway, staring at her partner, her eyes scanning her.

“We could show you how to swim” Ruby offered. “I could let you borrow my other swimsuit. We’re almost the same size” she pointed at the smaller woman’s chest.

Weiss swiftly covered her breasts by crossing her arms, blushing ever so slightly.

“No thank you” she quickly replied.

“Or maybe we can just hold you, in the water. You don’t have to learn today if you don’t want to, and maybe that’s going to be good for you, you know, being weightless, just floating around.”

Ruby pointed at her own stomach to make it clear she was talking about Weiss’s wound, and when Weiss raised a doubtful eyebrow, the leader grunted, slightly thumping her foot.

“Just live a little!”

And the smaller woman stared at her partner, slightly offended as she took a step back. Her eyes filled with something that Ruby didn’t quite recognized and the leader sighed, already regretting saying that. Silver eyes went down on the ground for a few seconds before glancing up, noticing how Weiss was wearing her impassible mask, and Ruby felt her shoulders droop a little.

“Never mind, Weiss. It’s fine. Let’s go” she murmured as she was turning on her heels.

“Fine.”

The leader stopped, glancing over her shoulder.

“What?”

“I said ‘fine’.”

“Weiss, I didn’t mean-”

“I don’t care what you meant, I want to. Now, give me your swimsuit before I change my mind.”

 

//////////////

 

“Are you alright?” Blake asked, looking down to Weiss.

The smaller woman nodded with her eyes closed, her head leaned on the faunus’s shoulder as Blake’s arms were looped loosely around Weiss’s frame, securing her as they moved in the water, the smaller woman gently rocked by the gentle waves.

“Yes. Thank you for carrying me.”

Blake huffed, a small smile on her lips.

“It’s not really carrying, but you are so welcome. Besides, I preferred to ‘carry’ you than let you with Ruby or Yang. They probably would have pranked you or something.”

Weiss smiled, huffing quietly, and she cracked one eye open, her iris so blue with the sun catching in it.

“You’re too good with me.”

Then the smaller woman took a deep breath, opening her eyes to look up at the sky, as blue as her eyes.

“Ruby was right” she softly mused. “This is nice.”

“I think she said ‘fun’, but ‘nice’ works too.”

Weiss let out a small laugh, pointing at her in mock accusation.

“You should stop eavesdropping.”

The faunus smiled, towing Weiss a few paces towards the beach to make sure her hair wouldn’t get wet. Blake had tamed all her hair and tied it into a high bun, but better safe than sorry. Weiss did, too, but her white head was secure on the faunus’s shoulder. Blake heard Baxter’s shrieking, and both women looked to the side, in time to see that Yang had thrown the boy in the air for him to fall near Ruby, the splashing he made making the leader couch and wipe the water out of her face.

“I want to tell you something” Blake suddenly said in a hushed tone, keeping her eyes on the blonde.

Weiss hummed questioningly, keeping her eyes on them as she dipped the tip of her fingers in the water, making it go back and forth.

“Something you can’t tell Ruby, and absolutely not tell Yang.”

That got her full attention. Weiss looked up at her with all the seriousness of the world, waiting for something probably a lot worse than what Blake was about to tell her.

“You know how the other day I was out all day with my father?”

The smaller woman nodded quickly, still as serious as before, if not a little more.

“We went to many blacksmith, to try and find one that could make the perfect rings.”

Weiss gasped loudly, bringing both her fists up and close together as she made what seemed to be a really quiet screech.

“You’re doing it! I’m so happy! But don’t you ever scare me like that. I thought I had to hide a body.”

Blake laughed as Weiss shifted, grabbing the faunus’s arms so she could twist and loop her own arms around Blake’s neck, hugging her as tightly as she could before pulling slightly away after a few seconds.

“I hope I’ll still be your maid of honor?” she asked.

“Of course, Weiss! Who will if it’s not you?”

The smaller woman nodded, humming in satisfaction as she resumed her hug.

“Good. I was wondering if my deathbed wish was still holding.”

“You shouldn’t joke about that” Blake murmured in her ear, holding her slightly tighter.

The faunus felt Weiss’s hand, cold from the water, brush against the back of her neck, and the smaller woman sighed deeply, resting her chin on her shoulder.

“I know” she said softly. “I have a strange coping mechanism.”

But before Blake could say anything, Weiss grunted, leaning her head for it to gently bump Blake’s.

“How can you expect me to not tell Ruby? I need someone with who I can… How do you say? Fangirl?”

The faunus chuckled quietly, rubbing the smaller woman’s back.

“There’s always my mother” she suggested. “But… Look, I just don’t want Ruby to tell her.”

“Ruby won’t say a thing; I’ll make sure of it.”

 

**** 

 

She woke up with a start, her ear flicking as she could hear someone cursing under their breath in the hallway. Judging by the sound, Ruby had bumped her toe against something. Blake glanced out the window; it was still night, and judging by the lights the moon extended in her room, it was three, maybe four.

Ruby had another nightmare.

For a second she thought about staying in bed. But it was quickly replaced by curiosity, and even though she was sure her leader would turn her down, it was still worth a shot.

So she got up, grabbing the first clothes she could see to dress quickly, stepping silently out of the room with Yang’s short shorts and orange tank top, and made her way towards the living room when she heard the front door closing. And as she was about to step out of the hallway and in the living room, she heard the soft, quiet steps making their way to the front door.

Weiss.

What was she doing up?

And so Blake changed her course, silently making her way into the kitchen to glance through the window, seeing that Ruby was leaning her elbows against the balustrade and sighing deeply, and the front door opened, making the leader jump. Ruby spun on her heels to see Weiss, closing the door behind her as she held her hand up in front of her in a peaceful motion.

“Are you following me?” Ruby asked, her shoulders tensing.

Weiss stopped, raising her eyebrows as she stepped beside her partner to gently set her hands on the balustrade.

“No. I just couldn’t sleep, and I was sitting in the living room when I saw you walk straight outside. Thought that maybe, you wanted some company.”

For a second Ruby stared at her, almost as if she was hesitating, but the leader balled her hands into fists, straightening her shoulders slightly.

“Don’t you know that usually, when someone wakes up in the middle of the night and goes outside, they want to be left alone?”

The smaller woman took a moment to blink, before turning her eyes to Ruby, staring at her intensely.

“You know there is other ways to tell me you want to be left alone, Ruby” Weiss whispered, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. “I wasn’t about to ask, Ruby, I just wanted… to be there. Because you shouldn’t go through this alone.”

“I’m fine” Ruby hissed through clenched teeth as she went back to her previous position, leaning her elbows and putting a little distance between them.

“Oh, really? Weiss snorted.

“Yes.”

“You want me to leave you alone?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I can’t hear you when you’re mumbling and not facing me.”

At this, Ruby sharply spun around on her heels again, stepping closer as she straightened her back, but Weiss stood her ground, their faces a few inches apart. Ruby had a couple of inches on Weiss, now, and it was only now that Blake realised how Ruby had grown.

She would face Weiss, and everything, head front, now.

Ruby and Weiss stared at each other in silence for a moment, until Weiss’s features softened, only slightly.

“Why are you so guarded, Ruby?” she softly let out. “I’m not trying to pry something out of you. I just… I just want to help. We want to help you. We want to know what’s going on inside” she added, tapping her index finger a few times against Ruby’s temple.

Weiss let her hand fall back to her side with a soft sigh, not trying to hide how worried she was, now. Blake could see Ruby’s shoulders as stiff as they were, but her fists were trembling, just a bit.

“Do you really want me to leave?” Weiss asked again, softly, and this time if Ruby said yes, she wouldn’t complain.

It took a moment for the leader to answer, but Blake could see her fists relaxing, her shoulders slouching drooping as if she was carrying the weight of the world, and she took a step forward to gently lean her forehead against Weiss’s, closing her eyes.

“No” Ruby softly whispered. “Please, don’t leave me.”

And Blake silently walked out of the kitchen as she heard the quiet sobs of Ruby, Weiss repeating something as Blake made her way back to her bedroom.

“You’re going to be fine, Ruby. Just give yourself a chance. You’re going to be fine.”

 

**** 

 

“Remember the rules, little man?” Yang asked in a yawn, rolling on the bed to face Baxter.

The boy rolled his eyes playfully as he stood beside the bed, sighing dramatically.

“Yes, I remember the rules.”

“Rule number one?” the blonde asked, holding up a finger.

“Always tell someone when I’m leaving and when I come back, so people don’t get worried” he recited.

“Number two?”

“Never forget to use the magic words.”

“Three?”

“Don’t hesitate to ask for help when I am in trouble” the boy sighed. “Can I go now?”

“You’re forgetting rule number four, little man.”

“There’s a rule number four?” he asked, surprised.

The blonde nodded as she hummed, smiling widely.

“Yes, and it’s the most important rule of them all” she assured. “Rule number four is ‘Always give a hug to Yang before you leave’. That’s me, by the way.”

Baxter laughed and quickly climbed in the bed, wrapping his arms around Yang’s neck to hug her tightly as she grunted, hugging him back.

“Are you sure you don’t want us to go with you?” Blake asked, leaning her head in her hand.

The boy released Yang and crawled farther in the bed, so he could hug Blake, too.

“No, it’s okay” he assured. “I want to tell Mom stuff. Ruby told me she always go to see her mother alone, and said that like that, it felt kind of private.”

“Okay” the faunus rubbed his back gently until he pulled away, the boy smiling up at her.

“Be safe, okay?” Yang reminded him as he climbed down from the bed, and Baxter sighed again.

“I will. I’ll be back for dinner!” the boy waved as he exited the room, leaving the door wide open.

The both could hear him tell Kali he would be back soon, then the front door opening and closing. Yang sighed as she closed her eyes, a soft smile on her lips, then she lolled her head to Blake, opening her eyes again.

“Hey” the blonde breathed.

“Hi” Blake smiled.

“You come here often?”

The faunus snorted, rolling her eyes, but Yang only straightened herself on the bed.

“No, I’m serious, I keep seeing you around, and I think you’re really pretty and… maybe I can get your name?” the blonde continued, her smile only getting larger.

Blake chuckled, shifting closer.

“I’m Blake. And you?”

“Blake” Yang breathed, saying it in a way that made a shiver run down the faunus’s spine. “That’s a pretty name. I’m Yang.”

“That’s a pretty name too” Blake murmured, bumping her nose against Yang’s.

“Well, I was wondering if I could, you know” the blonde brushed her lips against Blake’s, but pulled away slightly when the faunus leaned in. “Get a kiss?”

“I was dying for you to ask” Blake whispered as she leaned in, taking the blonde’s lips in a soft kiss.

Yang chuckled against her lips, smiling, and Blake felt the blonde cup her cheek, deepening the kiss. As Yang was propping herself on her right hand, her left hand sliding down Blake’s side to sneak under the faunus’s shirt, Blake heard footsteps coming closer, and before she could glance towards it, a voice rose.

“The door is wide open and it seem like you’re having a cute moment so I’m going to ruin it!” Ruby exclaimed, speaking so fast they almost didn’t understand as the leader quickly stepped in the room and jumped on the bed.

Yang hummed in surprise as she pulled away, staring at her sister bouncing on the bed, a wicked smile pulling her lips.

“Aw Ruby, you want some loving too!” the blonde rose to her knees, preparing to catch Ruby.

“What?” the leader’s face changed from happiness to pure horror as Yang grabbed her arm. “No! Ew!”

“Don’t be shy, Sis, I know you want some” the blonde smiled, her grip on her sister’s arm firm even tough Ruby was wiggling and crawling, trying to escape.

When Yang’s arms successfully closed around her sister, she dropped many loud kisses across Ruby’s face as the younger woman made agonizing noises, making Blake laugh as she shook her head.

“Weiss, help!” Ruby called, desperate.

And her partner appeared in the doorway, but she didn’t look to keen to help, and when Weiss walked away as silently as she came, Ruby let out a loud gasp, feeling betrayed.

“Blake?” silver eyes fell on the faunus, pleading.

“Sorry, Rubes.”

And she gasped again as Blake stood from the bed, hearing Yang’s maniacal laugh as she exited the room.

 

**** 

 

“I wish I could see a Grimm” Baxter sighed, his eyes up to the sky.

Blake, Yang, Weiss, Ruby and Kali looked up at him, then glanced at each other silently.

“I don’t think you really want to, Bax” Yang was the first to speak, shifting a little.

“I know they’re bad and mean” the boy assured. “I just wish I could know what they look like. I’ve never seen one.”

Then Weiss stood, leaving her book on her chair as she stepped a few paces away.

“What kind do you want to see, Baxter?” she asked, her voice even.

The boy hummed, thinking, as the rest of the people stared at her, wondering what she was about to do.

“A boarbatusk?” Baxter asked, returning his green eyes on Weiss. “Do you have pictures?”

“No” the woman shook her head, a small smile pulling her lips. “It’s something better.”

And she took a deep breath, then brought her left hand in front of her, and as she exhaled, a white glyph appeared and spread on the ground in front of her after a flick of her wrist. Before long, a stark white boarbatusk appeared in the center of the glyph, shaking its head, and Baxter gasped loudly as Weiss set a hand on the beast’s back.

“This is a Grimm” she announced, looking up and locking her eyes with Baxter’s green one. “It’s perfectly friendly.”

“I thought they were black, with bright red eyes” he frowned a little as he stepped closer, his eyes filled with wonder. “In Ruby’s stories, they’re like that.”

“They usually are” Weiss assured. “This one is different because it is… an echo, of what it once was. Stripped of all the darkness that possessed it before, now helping me in battle.”

Her blue eyes looked down at the beast, patting its side a few times with a small smile before pulling away.

“Brave little creature.”

“Can I pet him?” Baxter asked in a whisper, his eyes open wide in a mix of amazement and excitement.

“Of course!”

“Are you sure it’s a hundred percent friendly?”

As the boy timidly started petting the beast’s head, gasping at the feel of its short fur, Weiss calmly looked over to see Yang standing right beside her, already in a fighting stance and fists tight, ready to jump in if something happened, but Weiss only huffed, noticing that Blake and Ruby had stood from their chairs, too.

“Of course it is” the smaller woman assured as she crossed her arms, keeping her voice down so only them could hear. “It’s mine.”

The blonde didn’t seem convince, because she took a step forward when the boarbatusk gently pushed Baxter with the side of his tusk, making the boy chuckle, and Weiss reached to Yang, setting a hand on her arm.

“Yang, it’s fine” Weiss insisted, this time trying to catch her eyes. “Nothing can happen. I promise.”

Finally, Yang glanced at her, lilac locking with blue. And finally, the blonde relaxed under Weiss’s hand, and the smaller woman gave a small smile, rubbing with her thumb for a second before pulling away, returning her attention to Baxter.

The team knew that Weiss’s promises were true.

But just to make sure, Weiss brought Yang closer, the beast already looking in the smaller woman’s direction, wagging its small tail.

“This one” she said to Baxter, her smile wide, “ _really_ likes belly rubs.”

And as she said that, the boarbatusk rolled on its back, its four little legs in the air as Weiss started to rub in large circles, scratching slightly.

“Who’s a good boy?” she cooed, and Yang couldn’t help but smile. Weiss really did like animals. And her Grimm, apparently. “Yes, you are!”

When Baxter started to rub the beast’s belly, it shrieked a little, but the boy started to scratch at one spot and soon, one of its leg started kicking in the air, making Baxter laugh as he looked up at Weiss, then at Yang.

“He likes belly rubs!” Baxter exclaimed, beaming.

The blonde huffed, silent, and after a few seconds she crouched beside the white beast as it closed its blue eyes, seeming to enjoy the treatment. Hesitantly, Yang reached out, letting the tips of her fingers brush against the short fur, still not entirely sure about this.

“How did you know it likes belly rubs?” the blonde asked to Weiss, keeping her eyes on the creature.

“Well, when I first arrived in Mistral, I spent a couple of months traveling alone to reach Winter. It was kind of lonely, so I kept this one around” she explained as her blue eyes looked down with a smile. “Besides providing a little company, it would give me a heads up for Grimm; they have quite the hearing, I’m telling you.”

Yang hummed, returning her attention to the boarbatusk, and she clapped it’s side a few times, the beast grunting and snorting happily.

“That’s a good boy” the blonde smiled, noticing the small tail wagging again.

“And I could work on my stamina, too” Weiss continued. “At first, I couldn’t summon this one more than an hour, but now I can keep it around all day with no sweat. But the bigger ones drain me faster. This one is little.”

The blonde hummed again, leaning her elbows on her knees.

“Like the knight you used at the warehouse.”

“A knight?” Baxter perked up. “Can I see him?”

But Weiss was already shaking her head as she stood.

“I try to summon him only when it’s necessary.”

“You keep talking about your Grimm with ‘it’, but the knight, you call him ‘him’” the boy noted, tilting his head to the side curiously.

“Hey, Weiss” Yang quickly stepped in when she saw the smaller woman’s face wear its impassible mask. “You got an Ursa in there?”

Baxter gasped loudly as he quickly stood, and the boarbatusk rolled on its legs again, trotting to Weiss’s side as it looked up at her.

“I do, actually” the smaller woman bowed her head to the blonde, silently thankful. “Say goodbye, Baxter.”

And the boy patted the beast’s head one last time, and Weiss did the same before stepping back, flicking her wrist. The boarbatusk slowly faded as a glyph appeared under it, soon to be replaced by a larger silhouette, full of spikes on its back, and the Ursa appeared with a roar before resting its weight on its forelegs. Weiss huffed as she stepped closer, resting a hand on the beast’s forehead, rubbing gently as it closed its blue eyes.

“There’s no need for such a loud entrance, little one” she quietly murmured, the beast only growling lowly.

“Did you just call it ‘little one’?” Yang asked, a few steps back. “It’s like, five times your size, and I’m generous.”

“Can I ride him?” Baxter softly asked, his eyes filled with stars at this point, staring at the Ursa.

“Can I ride it too?” Yang asked soon after, her eyes on the beast, too.

 

**** 

 

This was what happened when someone drinks too much tea before going to sleep. Waking up in the middle of the night with the urge, the need to pee. And so, after a quick visit to the bathroom, Blake was stumbling back to her room, her eyes already closed, until her ears perked on her head.

People talking. Whispers. She wondered if it was Baxter and Ruby; sometimes when the boy woke up in the middle of the night, he would join Ruby, and she would tell him stories of their travels, or stories she made up along the way. And so, the faunus stalked closer to Ruby’s room, feeling more awake now, and she noticed the leader’s door was wide open, but when she glanced inside, it was empty. Frowning, she thought that maybe they were in the living room, and as she started down the hall, she noticed how Weiss’s door was left a few inches open.

As Blake neared it, she realised the voices came from inside, and after a second of hesitation, she peeked inside, already cursing her curiosity inside. Well, Baxter wasn’t there. It was only Ruby and Weiss, lying on the smaller woman’s bed side by side on their backs, and Ruby was telling something to Weiss, a large smile on her lips.

“… After a few cuts, Yang literally caught on fire, and she was screaming so loud! She said times and times again that she didn’t wanted a haircut, but Dad and uncle Qrow had insisted, but after she nearly set the house on fire, they decided to stop. And never tried to cut her hair again. It was at this moment that Qrow started to call Yang ‘Firecracker’.”

Weiss chuckled quietly, a smile on her lips as she kept her eyes to the ceiling, her eyes narrowing just a bit, as if she was trying to picture it.

“Firecracker” She huffed. “It suits her.”

“You should have seen the first time Uncle called her that” Ruby cackled. “She didn’t find it funny at all. It was glorious.”

And they both started giggling, making Blake smile. She had to say, it was nice to see them like that. Not bickering, not arguing, just… talking. Even if she knew Weiss was Ruby’s best friend and Ruby was Weiss’s, sometimes she couldn’t help but wonder if they _did_ like each other at all.

“Okay, your turn” Ruby said, shifting to lie on her side so she could better see her partner. “Childhood memory. Good memory.” She insisted.

Weiss hummed for a few seconds, searching, before turning her head on the side, smiling when Ruby did.

“I was quite young, I don’t remember how old I was” she started. “Winter and I were playing in the snow, in the manor’s backyard. It was snowing. You know, when the snowflakes are big and they fall slowly? And while we were playing, I lost my glove in the snow. It was white.”

Ruby snorted, shifting a little to be more comfortable.

“Ha! Goodbye, glove, it was nice knowing you.”

“Exactly” Weiss smiled. “But I still searched for it, because…” she stopped, a shadow passing in her eyes, but she shook her head quickly. “And at some point, I think I started crying because I couldn’t find my glove. Remember, I was pretty young.”

“Aw, baby Weiss, it’s just a glove!”

“Our butler, Klein, started to look for it with me. I remember” she said, her eyes going to the side as a soft smile pulled her lips. “His nose was so red, and his mustache was covered in snow. It even started to form icicles. And as we were searching, at some point I looked up at the sky, and it was so white, the snowflakes appearing only at the last moment. And I remember holding up my hand, the one without a glove, and this really big snowflake settled on the tip of my finger.”

Ruby gasped softly, making Weiss chuckle.

“My hand was so cold that it didn’t melt right away, and I took a closer look. It was so beautiful, Ruby. So intricate. So complex. I remember showing it to Klein, and he smiled, telling me it was as beautiful and unique as me.”

She laughed softly, absently rubbing one of her hand with her thumb.

“It was at this moment he started to call me his little snowflake.”

“Aw, that’s so cute!” Ruby squealed, hugging her own arms.

Weiss chuckled quietly again, before sighing softly.

“What happened to your glove?”

“We never found it” Weiss shrugged. “I’m sure it’s still there, somewhere, probably turned into ice after so many years.”

The leader snorted, and they both fell in a comfortable silence for a moment. As Blake was about to leave, thinking that one of them had fallen asleep, Ruby’s voice rose again.

“He seems like a nice man” she whispered. “Klein, was it?”

“He is” Weiss answered in the same hushed tone. “Truly, he was the only father I’ve ever had. He was the one who looked out for me. Who worried about me. Doing small things for me, little attentions for me. When I… got my scar” she said, pointing at her face, “Oh, he was so furious at Father. I had never seen him like that before. Klein took care of me as if I was his own child, in any way he could.”

She huffed, her eyes staring at the ceiling until Ruby gently poked her cheek with one finger, gaining the smaller woman’s attention.

“I told you before, Weiss; no sad face tonight.”

Weiss grimaced a little as her lips pulled in a small smile, sighing a little.

“Klein used to make me hot cocoa, and later on coffee, every time I walked out of Father’s office. Because he always thought the office was horribly cold, and he didn’t wanted me to be. And he used to do this trick when he wanted to cheer me up, he would sneeze, and his eyes would change colors. His voice would change, too. And he would do it until I laughed, saying that he wanted to see his little snowflake again. I still don’t know how he did it.”

She huffed as Ruby took her hand, keeping her eyes on Ruby’s fingers that were tracing the lines of her palm, the touch light but reassuring.

“Klein was the one who helped me escape the manor” Weiss quietly let out. “I hope he’s alright.”

“Do you want a hug?”

“Yes” Weiss replied, without an ounce of hesitation.

Ruby shifted closer and delicately wrapped her arms around Weiss, the smaller woman snuggling closer with a sigh.

“I’m sorry, Ruby” she murmured. “I ruined the mood.”

“Hey, it’s alright” the leader whispered, reassuring. “At least I know I’m not the only one who’s sad and gloomy at night.”

The smaller woman snorted, but still buried her face in her partner’s neck, her arm timidly sliding around Ruby’ frame, clutching the clothes on the leader’s back.

“Then we can be sad and gloomy together.”

“All we want” Ruby agreed, leaning her cheek against Weiss’s head, “until we feel better. That’s a promise.”

 

**** 

 

“She went to your room on her own accord?” Blake asked, surprised.

Weiss nodded, keeping her eyes on the ground, to make sure she wouldn’t step in a hole that would hurt her. They were walking along the beach while Yang convinced Ruby for a little sparring in front of an utterly interested Baxter. And since Weiss was growing tired of always being stuck near the house, Blake had decided to take her there.

“It’s not the first time, in fact” the smaller woman continued. “It’s been… a couple of times, I didn’t count them, but every time, she’s just… seeking company. Company that I am so glad to provide, because usually, I’m seeking it too.”

She let out a small laugh, shaking her head.

“I nearly had a heart attack the first time she knocked at my door, but then she nearly had a heart attack when I opened it a second later; I was just about to go out in the living room. And then she was mad because I wasn’t sleeping, I wasn’t resting.”

She threw her hands in the air as she raised her eyes to the sky, a small smile pulling her lips.

“Ruby” she huffed, as if that alone was an explanation.

Blake couldn’t help but chuckle; sometimes, logic seemed to be something their leader didn’t really comprehend, outside of battle.

“She always came to tell me something about her childhood, the pranks her and Yang have done, or stories her father used to tell her, and she always does with a smile. I mean, you know her. But even when she starts to tell me about darker things, like her nightmare – because she did tell me, and I promised it would stay between us so please, don’t press the issue – she still told it with a smile, and sometimes laughing.”

The smaller woman sighed deeply, a worried frown on her face as she stayed silent for a few seconds.

“Sometimes I wish I was as tall and strong as Yang and she was as small as me, so I could pick her up and keep her there, in hopes I would make her feel safe because… Because Ruby needs a safe place to stop, let things catch up to her and… let it out. Let it all out.”

“She cried in front of me, once. I was so shocked at first I didn’t really know what to do, but I tried my best to hug her and make her feel safe, make her feel that it was alright to stop running, to take a moment to catch her breath. I-”

Blake wondered for a second if Weiss was talking about the moment on the porch, but before she could think of it further, the smaller woman balled her hands into fists, grunting loudly as she interrupted herself.

“Does it even make sense?” Weiss asked, her blue eyes looking up at Blake’s, and when the faunus nodded, she sighed. “Honestly, who am I kidding? I can’t do everything I said I want her to do. But I never thought something like that could be so… frustrating. I’m right beside her and I can’t do _anything_ to soothe her pain, even if a little. I wish I could physically remove it, because I know I would do it. I’m not like Yang; I don’t know how to use my words to help someone. I can use them to destroy a man’s career, make beautiful speeches that aren’t heartfelt, I can lie as easily as I am breathing but goddammit why can’t I use them to help someone?”

Weiss’s outburst had colored her pale cheeks and left her panting a little, and Blake gently set a hand against her back, slowing their pace a little.

“Are you alright? Do you want to sit a moment?”

“I-” started, then she sighed. “Yes.”

And Blake lead them to a nearby fallen tree trunk, facing the ocean, and they silently took a seat on it, Weiss already wringing her hands in embarrassment.

“I’m sorry” she murmured. “I kept on talking, and I feel like I did for an eternity. I’m really sorry. I’ll try to keep my monologue self in check.”

The faunus snorted, taking Weiss’s hand in hers to give it a squeeze.

“It’s fine, Weiss. And I’m kind of glad you did; it gave me a little insight.”

Now it was Weiss’s turn to snort as she rolled her eyes, making Blake chuckle. They stayed silent for a moment, taking in the view of the ocean, the waves softly washing up on the beach a couple of feet in front of them.

“You know, I’m glad you two are getting closer” the faunus said after a while, gaining Weiss’s attention. “After seeing you two bicker and argue so many times, I started to wonder if you really liked each other.”

The smaller woman seemed to deflate instantly, her shoulders slouched in a way Blake wondered how she did it.

“I know and I apologised so much to Ruby” Weiss grimaced. “She have that amazing ability to push all my buttons at the same time. She told me that it was okay, that she forgave me. But then, she confessed that she sometimes did it on purpose, and I didn’t feel sorry anymore.”

 

**** 

 

“This is such a big house! I didn’t have time to really tell you that I liked it! I mean, it feels so cozy, and there are so many bedrooms, I mean, even Zwei could have his own room!”

Kali smiled as Blake grimaced slightly, and Yang leaned over Weiss to pat her sister’s thigh gently.

“I don’t think Zwei needs a room, Ruby.”

“I know, but he could have one” the leader nodded with a large smile, and Weiss silently shook her head with a smile.

“The Chieftain’s house was built with many bedrooms in hopes it would give their occupants the need to fill them” Kali explained. “You know, heirs.”

Ruby nodded with a hum as Weiss furrowed her eyebrows, but she stayed silent. Unlike her partner.

“So you decided to have only one child?” she asked, pointing at Blake.

Blake’s mother smiled again, this time something passing in her eyes.

“Yes and no” she answered.

“What does that mean” Yang asked, this time, now interested.

“When Ghira and I got married, I didn’t want children. Just in spite. I was angry that things like arranged marriage were still happening, and that I had to marry a man I didn’t even knew. But Ghira took me out on a couple of dates, and, well, we fell in love. And he had always been a gentleman, giving me the time I needed before taking further steps. But one day, we were out on a date, and there was a problem with the council, and Ghira, who was Chieftain for a couple of months then, went directly, dragging me along. But there, I saw…”

Kali sat back in her chair as she sighed, a smile on her lips, a glint in her eyes.

“I saw Ghira in action. On the podium, in front of the angry council, roaring and inspiring people with fire in his eyes and passion in his heart. God, he was so handsome” she murmured dreamingly. “And he still are. But as he was sweeping the room with his eyes, he found me, in the crowd. And for a couple of seconds, he focused on me. And it was at that moment, I knew I wanted this man to-”

“I would like to remind you, _mother_ , that I am sitting right beside you, and that there are young ears right there” Blake pointed at Baxter, playing with his soccer ball as he tried to make it bounce on his foot, “that are probably listening, so please, think carefully about what you were about to say.”

“I wanted this man to be the father of my children’ was absolutely what I was going to say!” her mother exclaimed as she clapped her thigh, making Yang laugh loudly and Weiss look slightly embarrassed as Blake raised her eyes to the sky, sighing deeply.

But Kali noticed how Ruby had narrowed her eyes as her chin was in the crook of her palm, and so, the older woman cleared her throat.

“After that incident, we came home and we… ‘made’ the most beautiful thing in the world” Kali affirmed before bowing her head to Blake, making her daughter roll her eyes again. “At that moment I wanted so many children. I wanted to fill every room, because I loved the ‘making’, if you know what I mean.”

“Dust, Mom, this is embarrassing” Blake whispered as she pinched the bridge of her nose, grimacing.

“And I’m doing it on purpose, honey” her mother winked. “But, my pregnancy had been difficult at all stages, and when I went in labor there had been… complications. The doctors were about to ask Ghira if he wanted to save me or the baby.”

Blake reached out and took her mother’s hand, squeezing tightly as Kali smiled at her fondly.

“Fortunately, we both survived, as you can see” she returned her attention to the rest of the team, the three women listening attentively. “But it scared Ghira so much that even if I wanted to take the chance, he didn’t want to put me through this all over again, so… We decided to have an only child, to keep me safe.”

Ruby hummed and nodded again, lost in her thoughts.

“Do you regret it, sometimes?”

“No” Kali replied instantly, smiling. “Because I have Blake. And she met you” she said, her eyes falling on the three other women. “I have four daughters, now.”

“Aw, Kali” Yang breathed, smiling.

“And I have a grandson, already” Kali added quietly as she leaned over at her daughter.

Blake gave her a warning look as Weiss and Ruby chuckled quietly, and the older woman smiled widely, huffing.

“You know, your father made the same face when I made the same joke” she chuckled. “Sometimes, I see so many things of him in you. And I’m not just talking about the faces. You inherited his fire, his passion, and I couldn’t be happier you did, because his passion brought him where he is today. Ghira always says that you are made to accomplish great things in your life, and although I think you lived enough things, I know you will.”

Blake smiled a soft smile, and she opened her mouth to reply when another voice interrupted her.

“Blake!”

They all turned their heads towards Ghira, who made his way to the house, ruffling Baxter’s hair when the boy ran up to him.

“Yes?” Blake answered, raising her eyebrows.

His amber eyes glanced up at her, before flashing quickly to Yang.

“Your order is ready” he said slowly, bowing his head slightly.

“Oh. I have to get it now?” Blake asked, already standing.

“You ordered something?” Yang asked as she looked up at the faunus.

“Yeah, we went to the blacksmith the other day and I ordered a couple of throwing knives” Blake answered with a smile as she bent down to kiss her. “I lost almost all of mine, and it still makes my heart ache. You know how much I like my knives.”

 

**** 

 

“You know what I was thinking?” Blake asked as she tugged slightly on Yang’s hand, walking barefoot along the beach.

The blonde hummed questioningly, keeping her eyes on the setting sun, starting to dip in the ocean as it painted the sky in various colors.

Truly, both sunsets and sunrises were breathtaking, here.

“Have you noticed the tub?”

“The tub?” Yang repeated as she raised an eyebrow, looking back at Blake.

The faunus nodded, and the blonde shrugged, shaking her head.

“I’m more a shower kind of girl.”

“I know, but what if I tell you that it’s a footed tub, and that if my father fit in it, we will easily fit.”

Yang gasped softly, her eyes widening as Blake smiled.

“What do you say about a candle lit, bubble bath for the both of us?”

The blonde sighed contentedly as she closed her eyes, humming loudly with a smile on her lips.

“A moment of peace, relaxing in a huge-ass tub filled with hot water and bubbles… that sounds exquisite.”

“Exquisite, huh?” the faunus chuckled quietly, bumping her shoulder with Yang’s. “That’s not a word you use often.”

“I use it only when I mean it.”

Blake laughed, and Yang gently pulled her closer, wrapping an arm around her waist to kiss the faunus’s temple as they continued their peaceful walk, a comfortable silence falling on them. But after a few minutes, Yang kissed her temple again.

“Are you alright, Blake?” she asked quietly, not stopping their walk. “You’ve been weird all day. Almost like you were avoiding me, which is kinda strange in bed.”

“I know, I’m sorry” Blake sighed, rubbing the blonde’s arm quickly. “The bath is actually an idea I got to make up for it.”

“Then what’s up? You know you can tell me everything, love.”

Love. Blake smiled, a warm, fuzzy feeling spreading in her chest just with that. After all her talk about how everything Yang did was to love her, being called that made her feel almost weightless every time.

“I have something to tell you” the faunus quietly let out.

She noticed how Yang’s face was serious, focused on her and her alone.

“Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

Blake nodded as she took in a sharp breath, trying to channel all the courage she could muster as she pulled away slightly, taking the blonde’s hand in hers.

“We’ve been together for a year and a half, now” the faunus started, Yang already furrowing her eyebrows in worry. “You may think it’s short, but we’ve been through so much already, as a team, as a couple. And… lately I’ve been thinking about everything and I told myself that I should enjoy the precious things in life, because it may be gone too soon. You know as well as me how dangerous our job is.”

She paused, still feeling Yang’s eyes on her as she took another sharp breath, then exhaled slowly, feeling her hand start to shake in Yang’s.

“I read in my books about love that could last through war, that could last through ages, differences, love that could last through so many things, but you know, there was always this part of me that kept reminding myself that it was just a book. It was just fiction, strings of words arranged in a way to make us believe it was true, only for a moment. So imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon that kind of love, the love I saw in eyes that looks like the sunrise?”

The blonde huffed, a soft look in her eyes as she brought Blake’s hand to her lips to kiss the back of it softly.

“Is it the part where you propose to me?” Yang asked playfully. “Because it sure looks like it.”

Blake smiled, squeezing the blonde’s hand in hers once before setting a knee on the ground, Yang’s smile disappearing instantly.

“Holy shit” the blonde breathed, her eyes widening.

“Yang Xiao Long” the faunus let out, her voice trembling as her left hand reached in her pouch at her belt, pulling out the small box. “Will you be my own, personal sunshine for the rest of my life?”

 

**** 

 

Kali was washing the dishes calmly, looking at the setting sun on the horizon when she noticed two silhouettes walking along the beach, and she smiled when she realised who it was. She watched them go, wondering what they were talking about, when she saw one of the silhouettes kneeling in front of the other, and she felt her entire body perk.

“Oh, goodness it’s happening! It’s happening!” she called over her shoulder, setting the half-dried plate aside to step closer to the window.

Ruby was by her side in a flash, rose petals swirling around as Weiss quickly made her way there, Baxter slipping through to literally glue his forehead against the fresh glass, and she could feel Ghira standing behind her. Kali blindly reached behind her, Ghira meeting her halfway.

They could see the still standing silhouette, Yang, bring a hand to her mouth as Blake held something in her hand for her, and a moment after, the blonde dropped to her knees, cupping Blake’s face and proceeded to pepper kisses all over it, making them both fall over.

“That’s a yes, right?” Weiss asked anxiously, keeping her eyes on them. “Right?”

“Well” Ghira smiled. “Yang would be a fool to say no.”

“I’m going to be the one carrying the rings!” Baxter chanted, whooping excitedly.

“And I’m going to be Blake’s maid of honor!” Weiss cheered, high fiving the boy when he presented his hand.

“I’m going to be Yang’s!” Ruby added, clapping both their hands. “Wait, do I have to wear a dress?”

“Of course, Ruby.”

And the leader groaned, her shoulder dropping.

“Can I keep my boots, then?” she asked with a sigh.

Weiss eyed her critically, but Ruby pouted, doing her best to make her eyes round and look miserable, and her partner rolled her eyes, huffing.

“We’ll try to find a dress that fits with it, alright?”

At that moment, Kali’s ears perked up, and she quickly reached to open the window as she saw Blake waving widely towards the house, keeping Yang’s hand in hers.

“She said yes!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! This fic was a journey, I had so much fun writing it and honestly, I can't believe it's finished. I am really, really proud of this, and thank you so much every one who left comments, kudos, or even read it. You are the reason I finished this.
> 
> Thank you.


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